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After 5 years of driving up and down the Banbury Road on my daily school run, I decided it was time to try out Saffron Indian Cafe Restaurant which I have passed so many times in Summertown and had often wondered what it was like. My first ever visit will definitely not be my last, as it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I am already looking forward to returning.
My husband and I went there on a hot sultry summer evening when maybe Indian cuisine is not an obvious choice but it was delightful. We were warmly welcomed by the staff who could not have been more courteous, and they were there when we needed them without being too intrusive. On entering the Restaurant, we immediately felt comfortable in the vibrant yellow surroundings as they were warm and stylish but also contemporary and simple, with the option of sitting in the more open conservatory area to the back of the restaurant. The wooden floor and modern decor was a pleasant change to what I had expected and immediately the heat of the summer evening was forgotten – but maybe that was also the effect of a very yummy margarita!
Saffron’s menu talks about using the finest ingredients, with no artificial colouring or additives and I could certainly see there was a big difference with the quality of the food compared to some of the Indian food I have tried elsewhere. The food was beautifully cooked, exquisitely fresh, with delicate but fantastic spices and throughout was absolutely delicious, with the lightest naan bread I have ever had! The Saffron special rice obviously had the saffron spice in it as it had such a lovely flavour and I then realised why Saffron was such a good name for this restaurant, as it’s a very rare and expensive spice and this was not your average Indian restaurant as was also evidenced by the surprisingly extensive wine list.
Saffron has received many accolades and awards ranging from the Top 30 Best in Britain (BIBA), Runner-up out of 6000 Curry Houses in the Real Curry Restaurant Guide, was voted amongst the Best 100 UK Restaurant in the British Curry Awards in 2005, and was a Gold Award Winner in 2005 and, after eating there, I am not surprised! We ordered some classic dishes such as Samosas, Chicken Tikka Mossala (the UK’s most favourite dish apparently) and Adah Gosht where the flavour of ginger and mint with fresh vegetables was wonderful - the food was light and tasty but beautifully prepared and I am still thinking about it many days later!
We left totally content after a high quality meal and vowing to return again soon!
Reviewed by Tracy Hoy
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