Saffy's (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

Saffy's Restaurant
4845 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029
424-699-4845
www.saffysla.com
Tue 07/21/2026, 08:00p-10:30p





You may recall that I recently reported on a meal I had at Bavel a couple weeks ago (not to mention a post on Bestia from back in April). Given how much I enjoyed that dinner, I felt that it was about time to revisit Bavel's more casual cousin, Saffy's. The restaurant opened in East Hollywood in June 2022, and comes to us from the same team of Ori Menashe, Genevieve Gergis, and Leah Bunch.


Shown above are Saffy's menu, cocktail options, beverage selection, and Mediterranean-leaning wine list. Corkage is $40. Click for larger versions.


And here we see the restaurant's spirit and after-dinner offerings. Click for larger versions.


peruvian scallop crudo [$28.00] | green zhoug citrus broth, cucumber, cilantro stems, chili oil, coriander, sea salt
Dinner started off with a bang thanks to how seamlessly a quartet of supple, smallish scallops paired with the super zesty, tangy, refreshing nature of their zhug-boosted dressing, all without ever becoming overwhelmed.


raspberry margarita [$18.00] | tequila, a whole lot of raspberry, lemon, white chocolate disc
A couple of cocktails were called for while waiting for tonight's wine to open up, and first was an easy-going margarita variation that, curiously enough, recalled strawberry lemonade. Its garnish of white chocolate was unexpected, but not unwelcomed.


mixed mushroom tempura [$28.00] | serrano herb aioli, curry leaf
I have a hard time resisting tempura'd anything, hence this next dish. I appreciated the fritters' light, crisp batter and tender insides, while their seasoning was pretty spot-on as well, and actually reminded me a bit of xiánsūjī. The 'shrooms were even better with a daub of that allioli, which proffered both a tempering creaminess and an undercurrent of heat.


green falafel [$18.00] | avocado tahini, citrus pickled daikon, aleppo, herbs
Being the falafel fiend that I am, this was another must-try for me, and didn't disappoint either. The patties were crisp on the outside, with properly moist, coarse interiors, while their nutty-herby flavors matched up swimmingly with the brightness of an avocado-enriched tahini. Nice acidity from those pickles, too.


mango lassi [$18.00] | vodka, mango, amba, dried chile, coconut, lime, cardamom, mint
It was during my undergraduate years when I discovered Indian food, and the mango lassi was consistently my beverage of choice when enjoying the cuisine. Thus, I couldn't not order this cocktail. I think it did a commendable job capturing the essence of the classic drink, with familiar mango flavors augmented by a distinct dark fruit character as well as an overarching sweet-spiciness.


grilled onion & endive salad [$23.00] | walnuts, pomegranate molasses, chervil, meyer lemon zest
I enjoyed this next dish more than I thought I would due to how effective that back-and-forth between sweet onion and bitter endive was. At the same time, the piquancy of concentrated pomegranate helped tie the two elements together, and I liked all the nutty bits going on as well.


roasted squash & zucchini [$24.00] | cucumber tzatziki, dill pickle, pistachio dukkah, orange zest
Two varieties of Cucurbita were complementary both in terms of taste and texture, with the duo showing off a mouthwatering smokiness to boot. The accompanying yogurt was crucial for contrast, and that nutty duqqa served as a great finishing touch.


I opened a bottle of '06 Guigal La Mouline from my twentieth anniversary cellar at that aforementioned meal at Bavel. Thus, it made sense to pick its sister wine, the 2006 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne, to drink at Bavel's sister restaurant. Hailing from the La Landonne lieux-dit, this single-vineyard wine consists of 100% Syrah and saw its first vintage in 1978.

• Initial Impressions: Nose of youthful red fruit, earth, and herb cabinet, underscored by a palpable astringency. Surprisingly silken on the palate, but still structured, with unripe fruit commixed with more of those dried herb qualities.
• After 15 Minutes: The wine quickly evolved, and was now demonstrating a bouquet of red flowers and cherries, while taste-wise, I found massive amounts of black cherry and florals.
• After 50 Minutes: At this point, the Syrah's fruity aromas went in a stemmier, spicier direction. In the mouth--a different presentation of cherry, more red than black now.
• After 60 Minutes: Just ten minutes later, the story was all about cacao, both the nose and the palate, while a sensation of drying tannins also became more apparent. Overall, another strong effort from the Northern Rhône.

grilled seabass [$48.00] | fermented herb tzatziki, brown butter dukka, radish, dill
Time for the main courses. The seabass certainly delivered, coming out as juicy, tender, and briny as I was hoping for, with some extra-tasty, dukkah-enhanced skin as well. The fish could've easily been enjoyed alone, but was indeed improved with a smear of that cool, creamy, unusually-herby yogurt.





skewers – choice of 4 [$88.00] | accompanied with laffa, tahini chopped salad, chili crunch, beet chutney
Naturally, the kababs were a must-order, and we ended up going with the following foursome:

• chicken shishlik | garlic, cumin, cinnamon, green fenugreek, sumac – Chicken arrived soft and succulent, with delectable amounts of seasoning and smoke. I especially enjoyed the kick of fenugreek here.
• ibérico pork & veal kebab | onions, baharat spice, lime, serrano, poppy seeds, parsley – Great char character with this skewer, while its warm spicing was well-matched by an underlying sourness.
• beef kebab | chopped oyster mushroom, onions, fenugreek, parsley, all spice, black pepper – The beef showcased a delightfully "bouncy" texture that was made all the more interesting by the incorporation of oyster 'shrooms, while a healthy dosing of allspice offered familiarity.
• lamb kebab | habanero, shallots, ginger, garam masala, cilantro – Last up was the lamb, which also met the mark for sure. I especially enjoyed the liberal use of garam masala, which undoubtedly lent an Indian-y feel to the skewer.

It was difficult to pick a favorite here, as all four kabobs possessed their own charms. What I do know is that each meat was even better when eaten with the accoutrements provided: the nutty heat from the chili crisp; the herby, cooling tahini; and a shard of lafa to wrap it all up.


orange blossom crème caramel [$15.00]
With the savories dispensed with, dessert was called for, obviously. A caramel custard was lighter than most, its eggy, caramelized disposition joined by an assertive, long-lingering fragrance from the orange blossoms that actually made me think of Earl Grey tea.


clarified milk punch [$18.00] | cognac & calvados, pink lady apple, lemon, cinnamon 3 ways
Dessert cocktail duties were handled by a silky-smooth milk punch that was just teeming with floral, sweet-n-spicy nuances. The drink even veered "lotion-y" at times.


strawberry millet tres leches [$17.00]
As regular readers may know, I'm a sucker for tres leches cake, so I had to end with it tonight. The pastel had that spongy, saturated consistency I was looking for, while its milky, strawberry-laced flavors linked up easily with those nutty bits of millet.

As expected, Saffy's made a strong showing for itself tonight. I like to think of this place as a more homestyle, more freewheeling, more neighborhood-y version of Bavel, but one that's just as delicious. Definitely another feather in the EaHo dining scene's cap--I'm pretty sure I'll be back.