Saffron Restaurant & Lounge

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. \r \r 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.\r \r 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. \r \r 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.\r \r I had the saffron chicken and it was fantastic. The tender chicken breast was stuffed with ground chicken, apricot, spinach and cheese and placed over a luxe saffron sauce that felt sinful. Attractive sprinklings of herbs decorated the rim of the plate. The only downside was that the sauteed vegetables were a bit drab but I heartily approve of the emphasis of pepper over butter to dress them.\r \r 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. Pros: Fresh, delicious dishes Cons: Naan was boring more

Saffron Indian Restaurant on Davis Drive (RTP) is the first Indian Restaurant I came across in Raleigh-Durham area to be the best. The food and the service was exceptional. I have been for Lunch and Dinner at this place and didn't find much difference in terms of quality, quantity and service. I would recommend this restaurant to everybody looking for Indian Food. more

People had given us very good reviews about Saffron Indian Restaurant on Davis Drive. Finally I along with my family went to Saffron for a family birthday party last week. Here is my overall experience:\r \r The ambience of the restaurant is quite wonderful. \r The dishes (appetizer and entrees) were well prepared and presented nicely.\r Good Quality food. Worth the price.\r We found the staff to be much more warm and welcoming than most restaurants of any kind\r \r I would highly recommend people to visit Saffron and I will also be coming again to Saffron not only for birthday parties but regularly with family and friends.\r more

We just went yesterday with party of 16 people. The serive was too slow, they served our curries first and than after 15 mins the bread by that time the curries were cold. Not only that there was a hair in one of our dish and when we asked to change, waiter did not really like it. Cons: price, food, service more

great authentic food. One of the best Indian restaurant, However, they have become pricey recently. It used to cost much less but lately they have raised the price. Also, on special ocassios like valentine day etc.. prices seemed to be more inflated. Definately will go there again but not so often as I used to. Pros: sitting arrangements and average food Cons: cost, also too small more

The food is good but not so neat and very pricy compare to the quality. Also, i am posting this in many site but one of the manager did not wash his hands after using the bathroom and it was witness by my husband. Also, their sewage system is poorly built and thats why it smells bad everytime you go Pros: food Cons: price, smell, and waiters cleanliness more

I worked in an Indian Resturant in college and love the food and flavor that is brought out in the food. I haven't had indian food in quite a while and my girlfriend offered to take me to a resturant for my belated birthday dinner (my birthday was a month ago). She went online and found Saffron. I also went online and came here to see the reviews. That's how we decided on Saffron. So after my experience I can't help but write a review. We were greeted and asked if the corner table was ok and I politly asked for a table in the middle of the resturant in which they quickly accomidated me. They gave us our space to decide on our food and beverage but checked in a few times to bring water and pampadan (spelling). I ordered the vegetable Samosa and a sweet lassi. The Samosas were great, my only complaint is that there were only 3 but the the display of the plate they came on was excellent. The samosa taste was even better and a flavor I had greatly missed. The Lassi was not as I remembered but different from what I was used to in the past. It was still great to take the heat down from the dish I ordered. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala Hot and Garlic Naan and my girlfriend got the Saffron chicken and plain Naan. Everything came out on time in order. I like that nothing was too early making you feel rushed. The Chicken Tikka Masala was thick and tasty with the right amount of spicy heat. It was better than I remembered it tasting in the past when I worked at a indian restuarant. We both enjoyed our meal and the original and decadent flavors that massaged our palates. The management was polite and checked on us a few times. For dessert we shared the Chocolate Lava that was rich and came with vanilla ice cream. Next time we go I look forward to trying the Galab Juman or kulfi. I will be returning and highly recommend this excellent indian cuisine. This is my new favorite resturant! So good that I had to write a review for it, my first one. Pros: Excellent food, service, atmosphere Cons: High price more

I along with my family had gone to Saffron yesterday for Dinner. They had this Diwali Special menu which I tried for a change. I ordered Seafood Platter and Lamb Chop Roganjosh. Both these items were well cooked, and delicious. The Lamb Rogan Ghosh was very tender and juicy. The Seafood Platter had the real feel of Indian Tandoori style fish. As regards to Serice, it goes without saying that it was excellent. I would definitely recommend this Indian restaurant to everybody.\r \r \r Thanks,\r Jack Kemps more

We have eaten in Indian restaurants all over the world - Japan, India, New Zealand, London, New York, San Francisco and in the Triangle. Last night we had a special Diwali dinner at Saffron that ranked among the best we have ever had. The combination of our choices and the preparation made this a superb dining experience. more

This past weekend my fiance took me to Saffron for my birthday dinner and we enjoyed an amazing meal. It was a bit of a trek for us coming from Raleigh so my expectations were pretty high when we arrived. At first I saw the restaurant was in a strip mall and became leery but once we walked in the atmosphere took my breath away. One look around at what other tables were eating told me definitively that we were in for a treat. The garlic naan was the best I have ever had and I thoroughly enjoyed the Chicken Tikka Masala. It definitely did not taste like it came from a can as the most recent reviewer implied. The creaminess and complexity of spice was so intense that I tried to savor each and every bite but ended up gobbling it up before I knew it. My fiance ordered the Lamb Maharaja which was falling off the bone tender and beautifully presented. Our service was spectacular - - we actually had at least three different waiters helping us at various times - - not a single detail was missed. I have been to Indian restaurants all over the country and I was still incredibly impressed by Saffron. If you truly love Indian food you will love this restaurant! Pros: Ambience, Food, Menu Variety, Full Bar, Great for Special Occasions Cons: Not Best for Young Kids more

I have eaten at many many Indian restaurants and some of my favorite dishes include Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala. These really are the standards for whether or not other dishes will contain the depth of flavor and are worth purchasing. Indian Restaurants are expensive so if they cannot even make a good Chicken Tikka dish then I will not be patronizing the place again. \r The Masala tasted like it came from a store bought can. It was terrible. The service also left something to be desired and again at these prices you best have something that will keep the customers returning. For those out there that know good Indian food, don't waste your hard earned money. Pros: Samosa's were tasty-but its hard to make a bad Samosa Cons: Main dish was gross and overpriced. Service was lacking more

We recently moved from California and visited Saffron Indian Restaurant on Davis Drive in RTP. For the drinks I had Margarita and for food I had Vindaloo. The combination of margarita and spicy Vindaloo was excellent. Regarding service it was very good. I did receive a warm welcome and all the people who were servicing looked energetic too. I would revist this restaurant and would also recommend everybody else.\r \r \r Thanks ! more

We are from Ohio and visited Saffron recently. The location of the restaurant is in a safe neighborhood and is in a strip mall. The ambiance of the restaurant is quite wonderful. The mint chutney (sauce) served with pappad was yummy. We started our dinner with the lentil soup. The cilantro-seasoned soup was creamy and delicious. Then we had a basket of bread (naan) with Kararee Bhindi, Dal Bukhara, and Dum Aloo Anari. The dishes were well prepared and presented nicely. In particular, we liked Dum Aloo Anari made out of potato. The staff was attentive and courteous. It was a sumptuous dinner experience. We highly recommend to anyone who wants to try quality Indian food. more

Last Sunday (07/03/2008) I had the opportunity to visit Saffron Restaurant for a Party in the evening as an Invitee. This was my first visit to an Indian Restaurant. I was really impressed with the exceptional service and quality of food. The Pom Margarita drink was very good. All the ingredients for the drink were mixed in proper quantity. There is absolutely no doubt about the food and the service. I had big Lobster for dinner and it was delicious. I would definitely visit Saffron again and would also recommend others.\r \r Thanks ! more

This is the first time I had been to an Indian Restaurant named ""Saffron"" on Davis Drive in RTP. I was along with my friends and we all were really impressed with the food quality and the service. We had ordered ""Shrimp Soup"" and ""Lamp Chop Masala"", both were exceptionally awesome. The service was awesome too and all people servicing looked energetic and dedicated and were always at our table to check if we need any service/help.\r \r I would definitely recommend this Indian Restaurant to anyone who is new like me to the Indian food and also to people who love Indian food.\r \r \r Thanks !\r \r Rob Zillick more

I'm only 17, but I've lived in eight different places, including New York City. This is definitely one of the top three Indian restaurants I've ever eaten at (and Indian food is my favorite).\r \r I definitely think that some dishes are better than others, but I really like the Chicken Korma and Chicken Tikki Masala. They are both very flavorful and rich. The Lamb Vindaloo is pretty good, but not the best I've ever eaten. My advice is to try a few different dishes until you find one you really like. The appetizers are also pretty good - I like the sauces they put out on the table, especially the yogurt one. Also, the dinner portions are pretty big. I usually eat half and save the other half for the next day.\r \r The customer service is pretty typical to me. Sure, they don't come around with the water jug every ten seconds, but if you get one's attention they always get you what you need, which to me seems perfectly fine.\r \r Finally, the price. My parents obviously pay for my dinner, but according to them the price is reasonable. Supposedly a bit pricey for Indian food, but I would definitely rather eat here one than go to a cheaper place twice.\r \r Overall, my favorite restaurant in North Carolina. Pros: Food, Ambience more

I have visited lots of Indian Restaurants in NC, but I can say Saffron Indian Restaurant is the BEST in Food QUALITY and SERVICE. \r \r The location of the restaurant is in a safe neighborhood and is in a strip mall. The ambiance of the restaurant is quite wonderful. The staff was attentive and courteous. The dishes were well prepared and presented nicely. It was a wonderful dinner experience. We highly recommend to anyone who wants to try quality Indian food with a quality service. more

I only go there for the lunch buffet, so my review concerns that.\r \r As a newly converted vegetarian i have come to appreciate indian food. I personally find the lunch buffet to be extremely tasty, even without any meat dishes. The almost $10 price is at the high end of similar buffets ry town center mall) but still ok. Take out costs the same, but you can really load up the take out container.\r \r Only thing i do not like at lunch is the service. You usually have to ask 2 or 3 times to get something like water, bread or the check. But i have no problem going to the owner and telling him when i am not happy and he fixes the issue. more

As lovers of Indian food, we have enjoyed it in Miami, West Palm Beach, London, New York and more. Saffron is as good, if not better, than anything we've had. The service was prompt and courteous. The food was spectacular. The ambiance is wonderful. Need I say more!\r Check it out for yourself. I know we're going back. more

Our party of 4 was very hungry and anxious for something different. The staff was friendly, attentive and seated us immediately. We asked lots of questions about the menu, and they suggested that we alllow them to serve us of their favorite choices for a sampling. SO GLAD! We had appetizers that were beautifully served and tasty.\r \r The service continued with several platters for sharing and tasting...both vegetarian and meat-lovers. We also sampled the sea bass which is likened to nothing I have ever tasted before...truly delicious and tender.\r \r Each meal was plated beautifully, served enthusiastically, and enjoyed to its completion.\r \r If you are tired of chain restaurants, want a little spice, a variety of colors and textures, and truly delicious food at reasonable prices, I heartily recommend Saffron. Pros: Not the usual fare...service by delightful, friendly folks Cons: may have to wait if it gets too popular more