Central by Saffron Valley — Restaurant in Salt Lake City

I attended the soft opening event this weekend that the restaurant graciously offered to the public and wanted to candidly share some feedback that I hope proves useful.

First off, this restaurant has SO MUCH potential for the city. I am a loyalist to Saffron Valley in the Avenues. Central is pitched as an ode to the old railway cafes in India. I was looking forward to experiencing a restaurant that layers on the ambience and harkens back to a romantic, bygone era - and the fact that it is one of the few upscale options for Indian cuisine, it is definitely a rare find.

The first thing to know is that this location was previously occupied by Stanza - and many of the elements are still present. The bar is beautiful, as is the newly added centerpiece - the train carriage. However, I was slightly disappointed that was where the ambience began and ended. The walls are still painted white, the upholstery and lighting are all carried over and are incongruous with the new theming. It’s not to say the restaurant isn’t beautiful, it is, but it reflects better on the previous establishments’ airy Italian fare - and not so much the nostalgic objective of the current. I could easily see the walls painted a deep maroon, lit dimly as if by gas lamp, with vintage Hindi music played over the radio. It would give a sense of nostalgia and adventure - but sadly this isn’t the case.

The food was fantastic - as was the plating. There were several intriguing spins on classic recipes (the one that best comes to mind is the Gulab Jamun Cheesecake. Wow.) However, I began to notice several oddities with the menu. Words would repeat and the grammar was formulaic. It was very obviously written by ChatGPT. A missed opportunity, in my opinion, since the menu could instead reflect the theme, perhaps designed like a vintage Indian newspaper, filled with character and detail. As it stands, the menu copy felt a little lazy, which is a shame, because the food and service were anything but.

Now to my biggest gripe - the robot. Oh god, it’s a mistake. Not only is it loud and obnoxious (playing the same soundbites over and over and over again) but it’s also weirdly passive aggressive? It definitely DOES NOT match the vibe. I could only think of cheap conveyor belt sushi joints - which is not what I think Central is going for. The wait staff is excellant, why they feel the need to semi replace them with the worlds most obnoxious tech, I have absolutely no idea why. It doesn’t exactly say “upscale/romantic.” If they come to their senses and sell the thing - I hope they invest that money toward more renovations - and possibly a human copywriter.

This concept is wonderful - and I hope the ownership can look to restaurants like Dishoom in London as a guiding star - where ambience and a reverence to its theming and design is paramount.

I hope to come back many times in the future - but maybe not until the robot is gone (or at the very...

Came here for a Yelp event, but what a lovely experience!!! Was not expecting to try so many different dishes, each dish was delicious. I haven't tried too many Indian dishes to have a comparison, but my favorite was def the Dahi Puri (I believe it's this dish -- crispy puris with potatoes, green sprouts, sweet yogurt, churneys and crunchy sev) Although it seems like a lot going on in each bite, it was a pleasant explosion of flavors that was very unique and delicious! The next standout was the Rose Lassi -- floral yogurt drink with rose and cardamom. I love Mango Lassis, so I already knew this drink was going to be thick, creamy, and refreshing. The rose really adds a lot of sweetness and flavor to the drink, I enjoyed it so much I considered asking for a 2nd one! The food was amazing, but the ambiance was even more outstanding!!! The theme is just so clever and unique. Everything from the interior design to decor had so much detail and just made the experience so much more enjoyable. The staff were all so friendly and kind. I definitely appreciated that they explained each dish and answered my questions. I overheard that they will be making a speakeasy/bar downstairs, so super excited for that if it's true. Definitely recommend trying this place out and will definitely be coming back with family and friends to try some of their...

We came here to celebrate and honestly, I think I’ve found my new favorite restaurant personality. The place has full Old Delhi meets Wes Anderson energy, train station vibes, vintage decor, and food so good it made me forget my phone existed for a solid 12 minutes (a record).

We ordered the Old Delhi Butter Chicken, Hyderabadi Biryani and the most refreshing Pani Puri ever. Then came dessert Rasmalai Tres Leches and Chai Masala Crème Brûlée. Because clearly, self-control wasn’t invited.

Their Cardamom Chai? Life changing!! I’m currently rethinking every other chai I’ve ever had.

The staff were the sweetest, attentive, funny, and basically our personal photographers. They took about 400 pictures of us, helped us recreate a DDLJ train scene, and somehow didn’t judge us for it. Also, their robots sang happy birthday. Yes, actual robots.

By the end, they gave us a little tour of the railway setup, and I swear it felt like being in a mini movie. Can’t wait to go back (and yes, I’m bringing my tripod next time just to give the...