Saffron Cafe

No other restaurant in the city looks like this warmly lit den, a single room exotically decorated with intricate wall tiles and lantern-style lights. A snake-charmer wouldn’t be out of place, but instead, chef Anass Sentissi, who hails from Meknes, Morocco, works his magic with bold, earthy flavors and redolent spices. Diners have a hard time resisting the novelty of traditional tajine stews served in colorful covered pots, but there are more memorable dishes on the broad Mediterranean menu that includes pasta and seafood. Couscous Royale, topped with chickpeas and a medley of seven veggies, packs heat even without its sidecar of ginger sauce, which is available in a choice of five spice levels; don’t go higher than 2 unless you’re trying to induce labor. Portions of kicky, charred chicken kebabs and a shawarma with tender lamb, bright greens, and cool cucumber dip are both generous enough to pass around, leading up to a sharable chunk of family-recipe tiramisu spiked with espresso. Lunch and dinner daily.