SAFFRON–Modern Australian Restaurant — Restaurant in Port Macquarie

Seeing some of the latest 5 star reviews, we wanted to try out this restaurant. We called ahead and made a booking for 6.30 pm . When we arrived our table was not reserved but then the restaurant wasn't full so turns out we were lucky. We ordered the dumplings (momo) and fried calamari for entree, Lamb curry and pork ribs for mains along with sides. Our order was taken well and passed on to the kitchen.

Food - The dumplings were ok the pastry was not fresh i.e frozen store bought and the sauce very much tomato based with a hint of Nepali chilli. The calamari was good, pork ribs were good but pre-made. The lamb curry was ok too.

Service - The staff were not interested and missing the basics of serving i.e tables were left with dirty dishes, We placed our finished entrees stacked on the end of our table and it sat there for about 20 mins. The staff looked but weren't interested in cleaning the tables. We noticed more than a few patrons leave after sitting for a few mins.

The owners seemed to be interested in only talking and asking one of the local couples how everything was.

When we paid the bill the lady owner was keen for feedback, when we gave it to her all she had to say was we are short staff. Imagine if this is the service with a handful of customers, the packed restaurant would have a meltdown.

All in all #saffron has a small chance of surviving but the owners need to improve service big time, food quality and not focus on price and listen to feedback (not just request it) this will help with...

My partner and I were just passing through the downtown Port Macquarie area and happened upon Saffron Restaurant,

Upon entering we were welcomed into the restaurant and were quickly blown away by the good customer service and amazing food! This is easily a top notch date spot or special family occasion place. The staff were friendly, attentive, and gave us nothing less than a 5 star experience.

The food was absolutely to die for-- We started off with the lamb skewers, which, were seasoned to perfection and well-complemented by a beautiful sauce. We then moved on to the steaks; I myself had the ribeye and my partner opted for the sirloin. Both steaks were cooked to their exact temperatures (medium rare and medium respectively), the greens were incredibly fresh and flavourful, the fries were crisp and not at all overseasoned or soggy, and the sauces for both were again amazing.

We finished with the baked cheesecake and berry tart; The fruit served alongside both dishes was incredibly fresh and the ice cream accompanied both dishes well without being overpowering.

All of our dishes had beautiful presentations, much like what you would expect to see in a high class dining experience.

If you're ever in Port Macquarie and are looking for some place special, this is...

My Wife and I called in for lunch on a Saturday and were surprised that we had the restaurant to ourselves. Not a good sign, or so we thought. We were made to feel very welcome by the waiter who took time to chat with us. The menu is quite spectacular with a blend of Indian, Nepalese, Japanese and Australian offerings and really does have something for everyone. I believe there are also many gluten free offerings. We ordered starters of Lamb blackstrap skewers and fried chicken Momo which are Nepalese dumplings. Mains consisted of roast chicken breast with pumpkin and chat potatoes for my Wife, whilst I had the Chicken Biryani. Each of our selections was absolutely wonderful but the standout had to be the biryani which has to be easily the best biryani I have ever eaten. Saffron are using top quality ingredients in their meals and there are frequent specials on offer. This restaurant is quite new to Port Macquarie where lunchtime trade has tailed off for all local restaurants lately however we would strongly recommend a visit, be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is licensed and immediately across from the Glasshouse theatre in the centre of the CBD. We can’t wait to return to try...