Saffron — Restaurant in Waco

There were some good things, and there were some bad things. Idk if we'd return quickly to try again until the buffet part was open again, as my husband is not terribly fond of spicy food (we were told the buffet had been closed due to covid related drop in sales. Perfectly understandable) There are a lot of different things on the menu, but not quite the same level of variety as stone hearth. Some of the menu items are described the same, but are called different things, especially the curries. This made it a little confusing to order. The descriptions manage to pull off being both descriptive and very vague at the same time. They list some of the ingredients, but don't really leave an impression on how it will taste. There was no way to know which dishes were spicy and which weren't, so if you have low spice tolerance, ask your server for advice. My poor husband had it rough with his meal. Basmati rice is only included with the curry and (of course) the biryani/saffron rice combos. Any of the grill stuff you have to order rice separately. You do have to purchase the Naan separately, though it is pretty large for about $1.50. Naan was both soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. We did get the chicken samosas, and the value is about the same as what you get at stone hearth. There are 6 small samosas to the order, in comparison to the 3 large samosas that stone hearth has. Both are quite tasty and are little pockets of intense flavor. I do prefer the paired sauces that stone hearth provides just a bit more, though. I had the karahi lamb, and whereas it wasn't bad, it didn't leave much of an impression, either. It looked rather oily(thankfully mostly absorbed by the rice), had a bit of a creamy texture, but all I could taste was tomatoes. It didn't have much flavor beyond that, and though it had jalapenos, it wasn't that spicy. The chicken leg and other grilled meat dishes had loads of flavor and spice, and I enjoyed the bits of those that I picked off my husband's plate. I just wish my curry packed as much of a punch. The only "bad" thing was that the orange chunks of chicken on my husband's grill platter had a strange propane(?) taste to it. I was apparently the only one who tasted that, and it wasn't all of the chicken that tasted of such. Some bites were flavorful spices, and some had that gross bitter taste that brought to mind the way propane smells. I'm not sure what it was, or why I was the only one that got the taste, but I was the only one to eat 2 pieces of it so idk if I was just having bad luck. The staff was fantastic, and both knew the menu well, and was able to clarify any questions we had. Our waitress was very attentive and checked on us often, despite there being quite a few other tables. I do appreciate their help and hard work. Overall a decent experience, good for those new to Indian food, and I am interested in seeing...

We were driving through Waco and it happened to be lunch time on Easter. It is located in a nice big complex with sufficient parking. As we went in the ambience looked decent but dated and could really do well with a modern refresh to attract more clientele.

We waited for the host to seat us and we weighed both options - buffet as well as à la carte. The buffet did not look as appealing as we are vegetarians and they had only two entrées. We preferred to go for the à la carte. Beyond this point is when the experience went south. There was no communication as to how long we would be waiting for our food. Most people around us were served food and we assumed it was from buffet. After about half hour when I lost my patience I asked for an ETA and was told they have huge online order which has delayed service. Totally understandable but it is critical that such delays be notified to guests awaiting in the restaurant or plan for a kitchen which serves online orders separately just like places like Chipotle do.

After another 15-20 minutes of extended wait we were served food and at this point we had waited about 50 minutes now. Looking at the food portions I got furious. The rice served was a kids meal portion and the entrée served wouldn’t suffice one adult and we were five people. The food was average and nothing to rave about. The rice was dry and looked like it was not cooked fresh. The roti/naan was fresh and tasted good. Alu Palak was the special of the day and it was just ordinary. We were given an extra bowl after pointing out the portion size but no apology was rendered. We ordered an extra entrée to fulfil our hungry tummies and Paneer Karahi was quite bad. The only thing that was decent was butter paneer.

I can give the benefit of doubt for the team but there was no effort made from the team to make up for the delay or the food service. Thinking about the overall experience nothing really was extra ordinary or stood out which would indicate this restaurant could provide anymore than an average food or service. Out of respect for other patrons we just accommodated for the bad experience and ate and went our way.

As always your mileage may vary, but from our experience we are convinced we are not willing to give this business a second chance.

Things the team can improve on: Communication of ETA Service Food portions Busy days should be planned with a second kitchen to ensure better service Ambience...

I want to start out by saying that my husband and I go on date nights regularly as we feel it is very important to slow down and have special moments regularly. My husband has been begging me to go to Saffron for the past year and a half but I have been reluctant as I am a picky eater. Upon entering Saffron we were greeted kindly and seated immediately. We enjoyed the nice little Koi fish pond at the entrance and their little "Finding Nemo" snippet on the wall. The atmosphere was quiet, clean and well lit. Neither my husband or I have ever had Indian food but not to worry because our waitress Alyssa provided the best service we have ever encountered. She made suggestions and we loved every single one of them. She described each dish we inquired about and explained with deep knowledge what we would be expecting with the orders. We started with a beef appetizer and cheese paan, then butter chicken and a lamb dish as our entrees, and a dessert. We loved every single bit of it! Alyssa gave us the option to adjust our levels of spice and checked on us regularly. She held a poised demeanor and presented service that would only remind someone of the richest and fanciest restaurant. Even though we were there during the time right before closing, we did not feel rushed and the food was fresh and tender. We waited very little time for our food which was amazing because the newest addition to our family was a part of our romantic getaway tonight. At the end of our feast, Alyssa made sure to have us check our order and prices before checking us out to make sure everything was correct. Out of all the restaurants that we have tried.....and been seriously disappointed with...We are so happy to have had the romantic dinner that we did tonight. We received 2 appetizers, 2 drinks, 2 entrees, and a dessert for only $50. We have paid more elsewhere for such a terrible experience and night. We will definitely be back and hope to have her services again along with the richly flavored dishes. You have also shown us how amazing an experience can be enjoying Indian food. Thank you, for providing us an unforgettable night and...