SAFFRON URBAN INDIAN KITCHEN
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑
Districts: Aksarben
Modern Indian Cuisine w/ Elevated Cocktails
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Date Night; Upscale Dining; Drinks
Standout Dishes: Half Tandoori Chicken; Beef Samosas
From the moment you first lay eyes on Saffron Urban Indian Kitchen, you’re drawn to it. The large window panes offer a glimpse into the restaurant and suggest something special is inside. The dark walls and low lighting add intrigue and are contrasted by the bright, vibrant Bombay Bar at the restaurant’s center.
Everything about the ambience and decor pulls you in and signals this is a place you definitely want to be.
And that’s all before you get inside to take in the unique, Indian-inspired decor, sip on a house cocktail, or feast on classic Indian dishes with a modern twist.
There’s a reason Saffron, located in the heart of the Aksarben district, feels like such an experience; the concept is more than a decade in the making.
Co-owners Diwesh Bhattarai and Sagar Gurung (who also owns Kathmandu Momo Station) had talked about Saffron for more than 10 years before seeing it finally come to life late in 2021. A native of Nepal (located just north of India), Diwesh, who’s also the restaurant’s executive chef, wanted to bring the modern cooking techniques he learned working in kitchens around Omaha to the dishes he grew up eating.
“I knew the food, but I wanted to give it a twist,” Diwesh said on the Restaurant Hoppen podcast. “In Indian cuisine, we don’t have a lot of different cooking techniques. A lot of things are curry-based, cooked in a sauce and that type of thing. I wanted to bring some cooking techniques to Indian style where we can sous vide. I wanted to bring together different cooking styles and put them together on a plate.”
Chicken and lamb are among the most common proteins in Indian cuisine, but Saffron isn’t afraid to color outside those lines; for example, it employs locally-sourced ribeye in the Beef Vindaloo (featured in the header photo). Vindaloo is a popular Indian dish known for packing a fiery punch, but Saffron dials down the heat more than most. There’s still enough spice to fully awaken the sinuses, but it doesn’t overwhelm the tender ribeye or the delicate sweetness and acidity from the onion tomato sauce.
Similarly, fish filets aren’t extremely common in Indian cooking. But Saffron’s Curried Salmon presents a flaky, buttery piece of salmon that’s awakened by a lively hit of Indian seasonings. This fish would be excellent if served on its own, but the creamy masala sauce adds richness and slight sweetness.
Of course, Saffron can make music with traditional proteins, too.
This is evident in the Half Tandoori Chicken. Nearly every Indian restaurant offers some version of this dish, but few are able to serve a bird this juicy and succulent. Marinated in yogurt, the chicken carries a moistness and erupts forth with smoky flavors from paprika and the grill itself as well as earthy flavors from a litany of spices, including garam masala, ginger, and garlic.
Shrimp is also commonly found in Indian food, but it’s not presented in the same way as it is in Saffron’s Shrimp Madrasi. This dish commonly combines spicy tomato with coconut milk, but Saffron removes the heat and acidity from the tomato portion of the recipe, opting for a tangy coconut-forward sauce mixes perfectly with the fluffy basmati rice. Large, plump shrimp swim throughout the curry.
Delicious (and large) as the entree portions are, you’d feel some serious regret if you didn’t start the meal with one of Saffron’s breads. From naan to roti to paratha, there are plenty of carbs available, and many ways to consume them.
The Chicken Spinach Naan is a unique mash-up of tandoori chicken, naan, spinach & artichoke dip, and a quesadilla. It’s cheesy and gooey with the familiar chewiness of naan, and the spinach brings a mild sweetness.
The Aloo Paratha, on the other hand, is a whole-wheat flatbread formed through a series of ghee (Indian butter) layering and folding, giving it a flaky texture. This bread is stuffed with a spiced potato mixture, baked, and shallow-fried for a crisp exterior. A dip in the mint chutney adds a cooling, tangy flavor.
Feeling like something other than bread? Go for the Beef Samosas, deep-fried triangles stuffed with seasoned beef and sweet peas. They’re lightly fried to achieve a pleasant exterior, and the aforementioned mint chutney is so good you’ll be tempted to drink it through a straw. And each entree comes with a cup of creamy, hearty Mulligatawny Soup, the classic Indian soup with just the right balance of spice and sweetness to warm your body and soul.
While I’d argue the food is the highlight at Saffron, one could have an excellent time here without touching a piece of silverware. That’s because the Bombay Bar is turning out some delicious drinks that, when combined with the inviting atmosphere, beckon folks to have a few cocktails and enjoy themselves.
From the Bombay Old Fashioned, which uses Chai Syrup to add a touch more sweetness to the classic drink, to the sweet and spicy Torchlight, there are plenty of unique drinks to choose from.
If you’re intimidated by Indian cuisine and trying new dishes, there’s nothing to fear here. The staff is exceedingly friendly and more than willing to help diners navigate the menu.
You’ll likely first come to Saffron based on its appealing aesthetic and vibe. But you’ll return for the delicious food, fun drink menu, and warm feeling you get from eating here.