There is no joy in Mudville today. Nashua foodies have struck out.

It was announced by email at midnight Wednesday that downtown’s Saffron Bistro, 80 Main St., is closing its doors after six years, with one last hurrah on Saturday night. You better believe I’ll be there.

In a press release, owner and executive chef Joe Drift declared the restaurant “could not come to terms with a new lease agreement and has decided to close its doors.” Drift said he “will miss the tight-knit community that I have come to know here in Nashua and the support of many local businesses.”

Drift will now be executive chef at 11 Eleven Bistro in Manchester, with business partner Jeff Dudley.

I will miss this fine-dining restaurant.

As food editor and a lover of upscale cuisine, I was a big fan.

In addition to fresh, clean entrees, Saffron Bistro is also known for its bar offerings.

Recently, in a story in the Encore section of The Telegraph, I mentioned local food “addictions,” and noted Saffron Bistro’s unique strawberry-basil martini. The amazing aroma of that drink is, as I quipped, like Christmas in a glass. Saffron Bistro brought fruit-infused vodkas to downtown; the infusion jars sitting on the bar with chunks of fresh fruit floating in there were beautiful and reaped delicious results.

By changing its menu every four to six weeks, keeping popular favorite, the restaurant kept you going back for new and exciting flavor combinations. It was there, years ago, that I first tried lobster mac and cheese, now ubiquitous everywhere.

Drift was only 27 when he opened Saffron Bistro, after successful stints at Crowne Plaza in Nashua and a restaurant in Andover, Mass.

Kathleen Palmer can be reached at 594-6403 or kpalmer@nashua
telegraph.com.