Some Misses, But Mostly Hits
Anyone with a fondness for Indian grub knows that we already have a groovy scene going on here in Little Rock. Now Dogtown welcomes its newest option: Saffron Indian Cusine.
Located in one of the many strip malls that line western Cantrell Road, Saffron might be easy to overlook. Sort of a “you have to know it’s there, to know it’s there” kind of location. My fondness for my Indian food, combined with the fact that this place is New To Me, led me to lunch there one sunny afternoon to conquer its buffet.
Having heard good things about the food, I looked forward to the business of stuffing my face. The wonderful aromas of India struck me the moment I stepped through the door, which made me optimistic. The interior of the restaurant is a bit compact for a buffet, but I was surprised at how well people were able to get to and from their tables to the line.
I was struck almost immediately that the buffet didn’t have the huge variety of choices available at other Indian buffets here in town, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Quality over quantity, right? As I always do, I started with a rice base on my plate, which helps absorb the various curries and sauces, and piled on the offerings.
Among the highlghts and lowlights:
The buffet sported a rich red curry with paneer (Indian cheese); it had excellent flavor, but I only found one lone chunk of the cheese floating in the sauce. I’d have liked more.
I was anxious to try the Curried Goat, there was no meat in the sauce, just a lonely cinnamon stick swimming at the bottom. It was the same situation on my second trip through the line. By the time they finally got some actual goat out there, I was already paying my check.
The Saag (spinach) with Chicken was the highlight of this visit. Friends, I have to say, I’ve eaten saag dishes in numerous Indian joints. It’s one of the things I most look forward to when dining Indian. This might be my favorite I’ve ever had. Bursting with flavors and spices, rich, salty, and with a really hot kick to it, this saag was next level. I could eat this forever and ever, if I had to.
I was wary of the Sweet & Sour Veg that came in a toxic-looking bright orange sauce, so I only served myself a meager spoonful, but it was pleasantly tangy and tasted fresh. As a final note, “Sweet and sour” seemed a misnomer because there really was no “sweet” component.
The Chicken Tandoori was adequate. The seasoning and sauce were pleasant, but my palate likes the sauce to be brighter, more tangy. Also, the chicken didn’t convey the subtle smoky, charred taste of the tandoor oven, which for me is the whole point of tandoor preparation. But it was well-cooked and moist, so credit where due.
I sampled the agreeable pakoras and medu vada. I noted with interest that scattered amongst the pakoras were small, bright green leaves that I couldn’t identify.
The Sambar Soup, which is lightly curried lentils vegetables with hearty chunks of carrot, onion, and eggplant, wasn’t life-changing but it had a good hearty flavor. My only real issue with the soup is that they only offer these really teeny tiny bowls for you to serve it into. I was afraid these huge hunks of vegetables would come hurtling over the sides.
About midway through my first plate, the hostess apologized profusely for the tardiness of my basket of naan bread. I just sort of shrugged, because to me, a) naan is usually just kind of filler, and b) I never finish it and I feel like a big wasteful buffoon. But when that basket arrived, I understood. I really did. This naan was a great complement to the food. Crispy on the outside, bready on the inside, with a char that sets off the flour and the salt, I was very pleased. (I still didn’t finish it, though.)
The food was more positive than negative, by far. You know you’re eating real Indian food when you’re spitting out the occasional cardamom seed or chunk of star anise. Part of the experience, right? I’m curious to return to see what they will offer on different days of the week.
While I really really wanted to work the lyric “I’m just mad about Saffron” into this review, it’s hard to overlook glitches in the staffing and service I witnessed. The restaurant had one beleaguered staff member in charge of seating customers, ringing up the register, slinging naan baskets, filling and refilling water glasses, and who knows what else. The two other staff I saw seemed focused only on busing tables — and even then, the table to me went un-bused until another couple was seated there. More than one customer arrived at the front door. And stood there. And stood there. And stood there some more. Until finally they had to chase someone down to get seated. Then of course there was the Mystery of the Missing Goat and the Tale of the Tardy Naan. Perhaps Saffron was short staffed during this particular buffet, but I thought the whole dynamic was in need of serious fine-tuning.
Saffron definitely has their groove on with the food, so I feel it might be worth my time to get there during non-buffet hours to order off the menu. I’m crossing my fingers that the kinks I observed this visit were just an unfortunate off-day.