The menu at Saffron, a recently opened restaurant on Front Street in Red Bank, states that it offers “Modern Indian Dining,” which begs the question, what is “modern” Indian dining or cuisine, as opposed to traditional Indian cuisine?
Modern Indian food is about using ingredients and cooking techniques from other cuisines, but still retaining identifiable Indian flavors. This means that the hearty street foods served in stalls and small eateries are presented in a new configuration, often in a series of multiple small plates, with eye-catching dishes, and service is in a fine dining establishment.
Upon entering Saffron, the bright airiness of the room and broad scope of the menu tells you this will be a new dining experience, and indeed it is. The servers are warm and welcoming and very helpful in navigating the large menu. We ordered a number of dishes and requested they be served in flights of three which allowed us to savor each course before the next round.
From the Small Plates section of the menu, we chose Crispy Cauliflower ($16), which was noted as vegan and dairy-free. The gently spiced cauliflower was presented with a signature sauce and a ginger and garlic emulsion. This elevated what is normally a side dish vegetable to a very tasty starter, shared by all at the table.
Pani Puri Sampler ($16), a traditional street food, was visually striking. The crispy puff balls of dough, filled with chopped vegetables, were accompanied by what looked like a test tube rack of four different sauces to pour into them – mint, tamarind, mango and cumin – creating a different taste with each one. This is also noted as vegan and dairy-free. Not only was it flavorful, but it was a lot of fun to eat.
The Kasondi Shrimp ($23), marinated in yogurt and spices and served with pickled mayo, was visually arresting. It was one huge prawn which had a nice char on it from grilling, resulting in a tender, mild sweetness.
The list of dishes From the Tandoor, tempted us with Chicken Tikka Chipolte ($28). The cylindrical tandoor oven imparts a mild smokiness to whatever is cooked in it. The lemon-marinated chicken had garlic and chipotle spice blend for seasoning; the small pieces of boneless chicken were served on a skewer.
Tandoori Octopus ($35) arrived as a very large tentacle that had been marinated in yogurt and served with a mushroom fondue sauce. The octopus was moist and tender and nicely juicy. Large enough to share.
From a variety of choices on the Entrée list we chose Saffron Butter Chicken ($28), a delicious preparation of smoked chicken with a signature red pepper tomato sauce and fenugreek. It was accompanied by a side of saffron rice to create an excellent rendition of a popular dish.
Dum Vegetable Biryani ($26) was a very tasty mix of roasted fresh vegetables and basmati rice cooked together paella style. It is also available gluten and nut-free. This slow-cooked rice dish was one of the favorites of the evening.
There was a nice assortment of interesting accompaniments. Roasted Rainbow Carrots ($16) had orange zest, chili and pomegranate to provide a complex flavor. Dal Makhani ($15), overnight slow-cooked black lentils with a cream drizzle, was addictive.
There are eight different breads offered. The Plain/Butter Naan ($5) was way too easy to tear off a bit of and chew down. However, unsurprisingly, the Fig Naan ($7), with its bits of fig enclosed in the pastry, was even tastier.
Saffron is BYO and it is always a challenge to pair wines with Indian food, modern or traditional. Usually, a dry riesling, a Gewurztraminer, or sauvignon blanc work well. We decided to experiment and brought a white, a 2022 albariño from Cape May Winery in South Jersey, which had some fruitiness and was enjoyable as an aperitif, but not weighty enough to stand up to the richness of most of these dishes. Still willing to experiment, we popped a 2022 Wolffer Estate Summer in a Bottle Long Island rosé and were rewarded with fruit, some refreshing acidity and minerality, which stood up nicely to the foods. It is a blend of chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, riesling, and pinot gris and comes in a unique floral designed bottle.
Dessert beckoned, and happily we chose the Foggy Assorted Kulfis ($24). The pistachio, mango, cardamom and rose flavors of Indian ice cream on a stick were a show-stopper. The dish arrived with the four flavors suspended over a plate, into which our server poured dry ice to create a white puffy cloud of “smoke,” hence the name “Foggy.” Do not miss this dessert! It looks amazing and the ice cream flavors are truly special.
There is no question that whether you are very knowledgeable about traditional Indian food or new to the game and haven’t had much exposure to this cuisine, Saffron will be a very enjoyable experience. Newbies need not fear venturing into unknown territory and old pros will enjoy the modern spin on the classic dishes and then some. From the fresh, contemporary look of the restaurant to the creative takes on a number of traditional foods and the warm and friendly service, Saffron is a welcome addition to the fine dining scene in the Two River area.
Saffron
31 W. Front St.
Red Bank
saffronredbank.com
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, writes about food, wine and restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.
The article originally appeared in the September 26 – October 2, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
