She said:
If not for an enthusiastic recommendation from someone, we probably would not have eaten here. The person who suggested Saffron Valley confidently told us that the cuisine at this establishment was the best Indian food around.
Um, I beg to differ.
My first impression of the place was of it being small, cramped, and not overly inviting. It has an orange glass partition in the entry, and a dark wood, shiplap-looking enclosure at the counter. The booth and chair seats were tan leather/vinyl, and the amber-colored floors were actually painted concrete. The warm tones were nice, but the vibe was off—especially with the out-of-place mural on the wall. Called the “Saffron Express”, it was painted blue, white, yellow, and orange. There simply wasn’t a cohesive statement being made with the furniture, décor, etc. It was rather too eclectic.
After perusing the menus for a few minutes, we decided to take advantage of the buffet. However, it was a good 15 minutes before the waiter even acknowledged us again. I watched as he bussed tables and countertops, but I could never catch his eye to signal that we were ready to order.
All I can say is that I didn’t enjoy my food. Everything was pretty much unappetizing. The rice was dry. The sauces too thin and watered down. The meat was spare, and the traditional richness and earthiness of Indian cuisine were absent—except for one dish: the red chili chicken. From my first bite, I was met with a wonderful burst of flavor. Alas, that was quickly followed by a deep burn at the back of my throat. The spiciness caused my eyes and nose to water like the Niagara, so that was it. I was done with lunch. The waiter had assured me that all of the offerings from the buffet were mild, so that's why I decided to give the buffet a try rather than order ala carte. Yet, at least two of the chafing dishes contained very spicy foods.
He said:
We approached the Saffron Valley with eager anticipation, as somebody had given us a laudatory recommendation for it. We found it tucked in the corner of a strip mall, under a sign that said, “Indian Street Foods.” I wondered what that meant. I only visited India for a short time, and the only foods I ate on the street were fruits. I ate jackfruit from one street vendor and drank coconut water straight from baby coconuts from others.
Jackfruits are interesting. The largest of all tree fruits, I believe, they can grow to over 120 pounds. Each. They’re ugly fruit, too. Their skin is pocked with warty bumps. But that’s just the shell. The real fruit is inside. Slice one open and you’ll find a lot of white, fibrous bulk, with round fruits buried within. Each of the fruits has a large seed inside, which is apparently edible if roasted first. The fruit is sweet and aromatic. The flavor kind of—but not quite—resembles a pineapple, although with a different texture. But then, the flavor also kind of—but not really—resembles a banana. It’s sweet and pleasant. The streetside vendors would do all the hard work of separating the edible fruits from their large shells. A single large jackfruit can contain as many as several hundred interior fruits.
Anyway, I didn’t expect that’s what they meant by “Indian Street Foods.” We entered the restaurant to find out. (Ultimately, I never did find out how their cuisine differed from non-street Indian food). The interior of the restaurant was quite small. Even without many tables, it all seemed cramped and crowded in the small space.
The menus were large and thick, like placemats in front of us. Their offerings looked interesting, but we decided to try the lunch buffet for greater variety. Though small, the buffet offered an adequate selection for lunch. It gave me an opportunity to try some new things.
For example, I tried the Delhi Chaat. I didn’t know what chaat was. When I lived in Seattle, I noticed several chaat restaurants, though I didn’t ever try them. When I later looked up chaat on the internet, I discovered that it isn’t a single thing. Rather, it’s an entire category of snacks, often sold from stalls or food carts in India. So, I guess that would count as Indian street food. Except, this chaat resembled a casserole. Inside, layers of fried bread mixed with chickpeas and other vegetables, all in a creamy, sweet sauce.
I also tried the Chili Chicken. As soon as I did, I knew it would be too spicy for Kathy. It definitely had a bite to it. However, it also had a rich, peppery-tomatoey flavor to it, which I enjoyed. I tried to get some of the Chicken Tikka Masala, but even though the chafing dish was full, I could only find a few pieces of chicken in the sauce. As Kathy said, it was overly watered down. The Tandoori Chicken was colorful but lacking in any distinctive flavor. Part of its problem, I think, is that it was overcooked. That left it dry and tough. Finally, I tried the Tamarind Chutney. I liked that a lot, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it. It seemed to be a condiment, so I dipped my piece of naan in it.
I found enough to enjoy a satisfying meal, but none of it impressed me. Perhaps that should be expected with buffet foods. However, we overheard a nearby patron try to order off the normal menu and the waiter told her that ala carte orders would take 40 minutes to fill. It seems they put all their attention on the buffet. Still, it’s nice to find an Indian buffet. I know of several restaurants that did not reopen their buffet service following the pandemic.
Conclusion:
Our experience didn’t live up to our hopes and expectations. Still, it’s nice to sample the variety of flavors at an Indian buffet.