Saffron indian restaurant — Restaurant in Brambleton

I arrived at Saffron after driving in dense fog and rain on Rt. 66, the aftermath of tropical storm Ophelia, in the early evening, at around 6:30 PM, on Saturday, September 23. Finding shelter from the storm, I enjoyed wonderful Indian cuisine flavors and cordial, attentive service in a relaxed atmosphere. Graciously greeted by the general manager, Johnny, and the owner, Shankar, I asked to dine at the bar. When dining solo, I prefer and enjoy dining at the bar.

I got the festival of flavors going with black-pepper seasoned papadums with tamarind and mint and cilantro chutneys. I ordered Coppola Prosecco, though I wanted Kir Royal, but crème de cassis nor Chambord were available. So, I ordered a side shot of Grand Marnier as a workaround.

Samosas, served with tamarind and mint and cilantro chutneys, were delicious. The samosas were elevated by a subtly curry-spiced crispy crust that complimented the spicy potato and peas filling. Chutney’s added to the flavor complexity. The plating was attractive, and the chopped lettuce and raw onion strands garnish provided a fresh, crunchy and cooling effect.

Johnny suggested the Chicken Lasooni Kabob for my entree, having a sense of my tastes. WoW, what outstanding flavor! The chicken was juicy yet had wonderful char flavor, which is not easy to achieve. Putting the taste over the top for me was the subtle use of fresh ginger in the marinade. The bold savoriness of this dish was exquisite. I also enjoyed Saffron Basmati Rice, Plain Roti, and a Heineken Beer with the Lasooni Kabob. Johnny slipped in a bowl of wonderful Maki Sauce, in my mind, an equivalent to marinara sauce with its rich flavors.

I finished my flavor jamboree with terrific Kesari Kheer (Saffron Rice Pudding) and a cup of Masala Chai, no sugar, no milk, finding the tea particularly robust and intense, I loved it. Summing up, Saffron Restaurant in Ashburn serves classic Indian cuisine recipes with masterful seasoning skills, and cooking techniques, all with a passion for pleasing...

I placed a large order online on Mother's Day weekend and arrived at the restaurant during my stated pickup time. For some reason (software glitch) the restaurant hadn't received my order, but the manager on staff quickly got it into the system. I didn't mind waiting and had no problem with this, but the manager gave me a gratis mango lassi to drink while I waited and told me to pull my car out front so they could drop the food off directly with me so I wouldn't have to wait inside the dining room. The wait was only 20 minutes, and then when I got home I discovered that not only was my order perfectly intact, but they'd also included two MORE mango lassis as well as three orders of dessert! The service and the willingness to go above and beyond just made my day, especially because I really did not mind waiting.

Regarding the food, I order the half tandoori chicken, tandoori salmon and prawns, multiple kinds of naan, raita, chicken 65, and cauliflower manchurian. Everything was excellent--the proteins were all perfectly spiced and came with good helpings of vegetables, and they were also perfectly cooked. Saffron is almost an hour drive away from me but I will order from here again and again--the food is excellent but the customer service has really...

Before I write about my experience, I want to mention that I have no complaints about this restaurant nor their food. I was meeting an old friend for dinner and had to pick a restaurant where we could both meet halfway and this was just that one and absolutely played good host for the occasion. Under my critique's lens though, this is just another standard Indian restaurant without an imaginative touch to the ambience or the menu. My friend and I ordered Samosa and Onion-Palak Bhajia for appetizers and Malai Kofta and Punjabi Alu Gobi for entree with Garlic Naan and another type of Naan (I forget what it's called but comes stuffed with Gouda cheese and brushed with butter on the outside). I went there very hungry but returned home with three boxes to go. That should explain a lot - the food lacks nuance of flavor and is easily forgettable. Major letdown was the special naan. It felt dry and chewy. The koftas were doughy and unappetizing but sauce was fine. Appetizers were okay. If you're the kind of person that searches for Indian food everywhere you go (like I do), this restaurant can fill that role of making it available. If you want really good Indian food, I'd pick another place. Sorry I forgot to click pictures...