Safta

Safta is located in the Source Hotel on Brighton Boulevard, Denver, CO. The food pays homage to Israel with influences from the Middle East and other regional areas. This former commercial area of Denver has now been transformed into apartments, breweries, and offices. The Safta Restaurant is located on the second floor of the hotel and is a very open and bright facility. An open kitchen is its centerpiece.

For the food, we had pickled vegetables, Shakshouka (eggs, artichokes, and chiles), and the classic Falafel sandwich. First, the pickled vegetables, which included green beans, cauliflower, and others were presented a bit disappointingly – plainly served on a dish. The highlight of the meal was the Shakshouka. It’s delivered in the frying pan still hot. Soft boiled eggs sitting on a bed of artichokes, tomatoes and other vegetables with Zhoug. Zhoug is a sauce made from cilantro mixed with chilis that originated in the country of Yemen. This delicious dish includes a large pita bread roll. The third dish was a large Falafel Sandwich filled with Israeli salad and tahini sauce. Tahini is a dense paste made from roasted sesame seeds, lemon juice, and garlic. The sandwich was improved with a great tasting beer, Face Down Brown Ale.

The highlight of the meal was twofold; the bright and open style kitchen and the Shakshouka dish.

My ratings are: It’s OK, Good, Very Good, and Excellent.

The verdict for Safta is Good.