Jade V.
Yelp
Saffron is apparently a chain, with one location in Cherry Hill and another one in Philadelphia. Their newest location is next to Temple University Hospital, where Philly Dawgz used to be (Rest in peace!). They've only been open for about a month, but I'd love to see them get some lovin' from the neighborhood, as they have some great food to offer. We got takeout, but they also do a lunch buffet Monday through Sunday from 11:30 am to 3 pm for $8.99. What a steal!
I wanted to get the Crab Masala appetizer, but they were out at the time--sadface! I'll have to come back again to grab some. The curry is great, though. The consistency is a bit soupier than other Indian curries I've had in Philly, but still substantial and full of texture, and well-absorbed with the rice.
The vindaloo, marked with a "very hot" symbol on the menu, does have a bit of kick! The lamb in the lamb vindaloo was tender, moist, and juicy. I'd never seen Sheetal shrimp curry on a menu before, so I was interested in trying it out. It reminded me of a somewhat milder vindaloo, and the shrimp went excellently with the complex blend of tomato, garlic, and ginger.
These curries DIDN'T build up a layer of oil at the top after sitting for a while, something else I appreciated. I like tasting spices, not oil.
The rice was a step up from your typical basmati rice, too, with a few peas and some saffron tossed in for extra flavor.
It seems like a family-run operation; the lady who rang us up was friendly and the food came out really fast (even though we hadn't ordered ahead). The portions are generous; each curry came in a 16 oz plastic takeout container, and came with a 16 oz saffron basmati rice. We also got a complementary kheer rice pudding! Sweet!