Saffron - Fine Indian Cuisine [番紅花]

Visit: Jan. 31, 2012
Address: 台北市士林區天母東路38-6號
Number: (02) 2871-4842

 Before this time's visit, I've actually been to Saffron before with my family. However, to my pleasant surprise, I recently found out that a friend of mine owns this restaurant; as a result, I had the pleasure of enjoying Saffron once again...except this time, shared with all of you.

Mint Yogurt, Pickled Onion, and Coconut Yogurt  (薄荷香料醬, 醋漬洋蔥片 & 椰絲咖哩醬)

From Top: Mint Yogurt, Pickled Onion, and Coconut Yogurt

When we first sat down, we were greeted with a complimentary platter of different sauces (all of which I have to guess the names of) to compliment the upcoming dishes. Out of the three, the coconut yogurt was the richest and also my favorite while the mint yogurt was just a little too watery for me. The pickled onion was addicting as I was waiting for the rest of my dishes to arrive. I wonder how they marinated it so that it becomes red...

Papadam (香料薄脆餅)

Complimentary Papadam

 I have to admit, I have no idea what this was called but named this only according to what others online said this was. I really liked the Papadam's crispiness and resemblance to a thin pizza crust. I would've finished the whole bowl of pepper seasoned Papadam if it weren't for the overwhelming amount of salt on them.

Onion Bhaji (印度洋蔥圈) NT$240

Onion Bhaji with Mint Yogurt

Before you decide that you hate this dish because the food does seem to be quite unappealing, please keep in mind that this was one piece out of 5 or 6 of onion bhaji I placed onto my plate instead of the entire dish. If you've ever tasted the yam or taro fritters at night markets, this is simply the onion version of it. It resembles a hash brown, but is much crunchier and more flavorful with the salt and pepper as well as a hint of garlic seasoning.

Adraki Murgh (薑汁番茄雞肉咖哩) NT$390

Adraki Murgh

If you aren't a fan of ginger, this isn't a dish for you. This is a bowl of spicy rich and creamy red chicken curry with a strong taste of ginger to balance it all out. Although it's spicy, it's not the chili in it that makes it spicy, it's the flavorful ginger strips within the curry that gives it the taste. The chicken is also cooked so tender and the ginger so "curry infused" that I couldn't stop myself from reaching back spoonfuls after spoonfuls of curry.

 Naan (原味烤餅) NT$80

Naan

 Despite the awesomeness of the curry, it's the naan that makes everything much more enjoyable. Rip a corner of the toasty moist naan and dip it in a puddle of curry...mmmmmm.... 

Lachhadar Paratha (全麥手工抓餅) NT$90

Lachhadar Paratha

Honestly, I think the that the Lachhadar Paratha tastes better than the Naan because it was just more flavorful with the whole wheat and a bit of rosemary on top. Other than that, the two are virtually the same, so I have no idea why most people order the Naan.

Plain Rice (精緻長米飯) NT$80
If you can't stand not having a meal without rice, then the rice is all yours. To me, the Naan or the Lachhadar Paratha trumps rice every single time when it comes to curry...or just by themselves.

 Murgh Nawabi Tandoori (傳統薰烤雞腿) NT$420

Murgh Nawabi Tandoori

The last time I came to Saffron, I was amazed at how wonderfully seasoned, the chicken could be. During my first visit, the chicken was cooked so that the edges were crispy yet the insides were still moist; however, this time, it was simply too dry and disappointing. Maybe the chef was just having a bad day? On a side note, make sure to squeeze the lime onto the chicken because it just makes everything taste so much better.

Gosht Rogan Josh (傳統香料羊肉咖哩) NT$380

Gosht Rogan Josh

I'm usually extremely neutral about lamb and actually tend to stray away from it due to a few bad experiences with strong lamb taste. The lamb curry at Saffron though although retains its natural taste of lamb, lacks the nastiness that is occasionally apparent in lamb dishes. From its texture, you could also tell that the lamb has been in a stew cooked with care because not only does it dissolve in your mouth, but it was still amazingly juicy.

Gosht Lahuri Kebab (燻烤香料羊肉條) NT$410

Gosht Lahuri Kebab http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1362/1240606365_20525c5fbc.jpg

I wasn't able to take a picture of the Gosht Lahuri Kebab, but now that I look at quality of the pictures I took, I should just start pulling pictures off the web. This dish was really just a lamb version of juicy German sausage. Much juicer actually.

Jhinha Masala (主廚特製咖哩蝦) NT$420

Jhinha Masala

The shrimp version of cream coconut curry? The shrimp tasted fresh, but other than that, nothing really stood out. It was good, but if you're adventurous, go try something unconventional!


Murgh Tikka Masala (碳烤雞肉咖哩) NT$380

Murgh Tikka Masala http://3.share.photo.xuite.net/yoimg/13d7e5e/4681521/179029549_m.jpg

Once again, I wasn't able to get my own picture of the dish. This was a more creamy coconut chicken curry. The taste and texture was similar to that of the Adraki Murgh except without the ginger. The chicken was tender and the curry was really yummy. It's a good dish for all you spicy haters out there (I'm just biased :P)

I'm pretty sure that if I were given the chance, I'd definitely go to Saffron again. All of the dishes on average were really tasty, and the intimate atmosphere provides a nice fine dining experience. My only complaint would be that the servers really need more training in keeping their eyes out for guests trying to flag them down, and being more knowledgeable in what they're serving. Other than that though, you should go try it some time!