4121 Davis Drive
Morrisville, NC
Dinner Entrees: $10-27
www.saffronnc.com
We went to Saffron on a Friday night with friends who recommended it. Our opinion of triangle area Indian hasn't been great but this restaurant is definitely a find, especially as it wasn't full on a Friday night. That's a miracle in itself and likely an anomaly.
Walk in from the strip mall parking lot and warm red and gold-toned tapestries greet you. The semi-circle bar is near the front and its large, inviting overhead lamp is worth relishing.
We split a bottle of zinfandel and decided to share an order of the herb naan with rosemary. Two warm slices were served of thin, flaky, oily, and mostly flavorless naan, which would have been a waste without the rosemary sprinkled all over.
The papadum accompanying the meal was very bland but I think that was a plus as it served as a great vehicle for the chutneys and cucumber yogurt sauce. The green chutney, which I think was cilantro, was milder than many I've had. The tamarind chutney was sweet and thick, easier for eating on papadum than its thinner cousins at other restaurants. The yogurt sauce was great. All were very fresh, including the cracker.
I had the saffron chicken and it was fantastic. The tender chicken breast was stuffed with ground chicken, apricot, spinach and cheese and was laid over a luxe saffron sauce that felt sinful. Attractive sprinklings of herbs decorated the rim of the plate. The only downside was that the sautéed vegetables were a bit drab but I heartily approve of the emphasis of pepper over butter to dress them.
We will definitely go back to Saffron and hopefully sooner rather than later. I'm sure one of the other appetizers will be more appealing than the naan was, if I can just convince my husband that he doesn't always need bread.
5 stars
