Saffron Indian, Cary for a Delicious Trip Across Indian Cuisine

I’ve been a fan of Indian food ever since my days of living in San Francisco. And usually, Indian eats for me would be a mom-and-pop joint in a rough neighborhood that just served up great food! Imagine my surprise after I moved to the Triangle and found that more often than not, Indian food was served in a proper dining room with white table cloths. One of my Indian favorites, when I lived near Glenwood South, was Mantra. Run and owned by Chef Gamer Rawat, it offered up excellent Indian eats in a modern setting. But like many restaurants in that neighborhood, it wasn’t able to make it in a location that was off the main Glenwood strip. Chef Gamer moved on to other ventures but a recent email let me know that he was opening up a new place near the Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Saffron Indian Cuisine. So of course I had to check it out and after three visits, I feel pretty comfortable with what they are serving up here. Read on to get the delicious details on dining at Saffron!

Saffron Indian Cuisine, Cary – Location and Decor

Saffron Indian Cuisine is located in the very busy Crescent Commons (Harris Teeter, Walmart) shopping center off of Tryon and Kildaire. Wind your way around the crush of drivers and pedestrians and you’ll find the restaurant next to NY Bagel & Deli. Stepping into Saffron you’ll find yourself in a comfortable, open, and upscale dining room decked out in creams and dark browns. White globe lamps sit overhead and there’s a mix of modern and traditional in the space which makes for an excellent dining experience. You could do a casual meal, business lunch, or celebration dinner here and feel right at home. 

Saffron Indian Cuisine, Cary – Menu and Food

The menu at Saffron is quite wide and deep for appetizers, mains, and more, it may take you some time to place your order but you definitely want to explore through the many menu pages and options from appetizers to salads, chef specialties, entrees, biryanis, and Indian breads. Peering through the menu, I found quite a few more recognizable options along with quite a few that would require help and explanation from the server. The main entrees and noodle dish categories have six or so options along with a choice of protein (vegetables, soy protein, paneer, tofu, chicken, lamb, goat, shrimp, lobster), cool! Saffron also offers some Indo-Chinese offerings, vegetarian dishes are also clearly identified and you will have plenty of choices if you are meatless! All in all, there is a huge amount of appetizers and entrees available here at Saffron and I’m sure you can find something delicious from Chef Gamer.

I highly recommend the crispy kale and palak chaat (snack) which features crunchy and creamy textures along with pomegranate seeds for some tang and color. The bhindi appetizer is a lot of fun: crispy shredded okra stir-fried with tomato and onion for a tasty bite. It is interesting to see a classic Southern ingredient prepared Indian-style but it works. The chili paneer is chunks of cheese pan-fried in a deep, flavorful sauce that makes you appreciate vegetarian eats that hits your palate hard. As you can see, the appetizers on the menu are pretty unique and a great way to get your meal started. While Saffron is mainly Indian, there are also hints of Indo-Chinese on the menu, too.

For mains, I’ve tried both their korma chicken and the GSR (chef’s initials) butter chicken. Both dishes offer a lot of powerful and deep flavor but with a hint of lightness with some ginger in the background. The GSR butter chicken is served with bone-in tandoori chicken which makes for a really intense take on this popular dish. And the Tandoori mixed grill is excellent, served in a steel container offering up kefta kebabs, chicken, and more. A chunk of charcoal in the container means it comes “smoking” hot to your tableside! Saffron also offers up some seafood tandoori which sounds pretty interesting to me.

And while all the dishes I’ve tried are mostly meat-focused, Saffron offers up quite a few good vegetarian dishes, allowing you to substitute in vegetables, paneer (cheese), soy if meat is not on the menu for you.  Saffron also offers up a variety of excellent Indian breads ranging from the popular naan to paratha, roti, and kulcha. And I have it on good authority that their rice pudding (kheer) is top-notch!

Saffron Indian Cuisine, Cary – Service and Conclusion

Service at Saffron Indian Cuisine is excellent with a slightly more traditional and slightly formal feel befitting the dining room decor. The staff here is well-trained and has worked with Chef Gamer over the years. And while I may be a bit biased since I’m a fan of Chef Gamer for years, I think Saffron brings some of the best Indian food to the area, period. While there are some others at the same level, Saffron offers up a more modern take on traditional Indian cuisine beyond the scope of what you’ll find in most Indian restaurants in the Triangle. The little touches along with better ingredients and preparation just separate it from the many other Indian options we have. From the excellent food, broad menu, solid service, and good pricing, Saffron hits the sweet and savory spot if you’re looking for an adventurous, flavor-filled meal! And while I will always miss my mom-and-pop Indian eats, Saffron brings that same great eats in a much more upscale and comfortable space, enjoy!

Saffron Indian Cuisine

2048 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary, NC 27518

919.917.7473