Saffron Restaurant

I can't say that I've tried a wide variety of Saffron's menu, but if you read my review about Priya, then you know I am on the hunt for some decent Indian food in the Schaumburg area.  That being said, I simply cannot find a Chicken Tikka Masala (Butter Chicken) that even comes close to comparing to that served at the now-closed Taj Mahal.

While Saffron's Butter Chicken ever-so-slightly satisfies the craving when it hits, it does leave a bit to be desired.  It is super greasy and heavy.. and the naan is kind of hard, not crispy or doughy.  I'd have to give Saffron's menu a few more chances before I would recommend or not recommend giving them a try, though.  It is super close to home and the dish is consistent.  I've also heard great things about their Chicken Tandoori Pizza... perhaps I'll try that next!

I am by no means an Indian food connoisseur, but I do know what good food, good service, and good atmosphere are like. Saffron was about a 2.5 stars, pushing towards 3.

The first thing we noticed was how cold it was - I think they barely had the heat on. We could sit anywhere we liked (some of the tables still had not been cleaned up). We did not have silverware at the table, and we were served water that tasted very strange. It was also very dimly lit. We decided to try and look past the experience and focus on the meal.

Their menu is not the most extensive I have seen, but their prices are cheap. We ordered the naan, roti, Butter Chicken, Peas Pulao, the the Palak Paneer. The naan was not as soft as we would have liked it, but it wasn't horrible. The Butter Chicken was very good, but a tad on the spicy side (we forgot to order it white girl style). I've had better Palak Paneer, and the Peas Pulao was a HUGE portion, probably triple what we needed. The food was overall mediocre - not bad. But I wouldn't come rushing back.

The service was mediocre as well. The first guy we had was not very attentive and talked very fast - we were trying to get explanations as to what everything was since they don't have descriptions on the menu. The second guy we had was very nice, attentive, and wanted to make sure everything was good. Had we had him as the server the whole time, I think I would have been happier.

Not my best Indian food experience, but it was worth a try!

Saffron has been on my list to try (again) for ages. I have eaten there once before, eons ago when it was one tiny storefront with all of 3 tables. I remember the food being good, but have wanted to go back since they had revamped their menu and expanded.

Enter disappointment.

It wasn't the experience I had hoped for. The lovely Danielle S. joined me for dinner and we ordered naan, roti, Butter Chicken, Peas Pulao, and Palak Paneer. The roti and naan were standard - nothing special, and I  had hoped they would have been a little softer. Everything was very spicy and the waiter looked at me as if I had 3 heads when I told him so. I'm a white girl, yo. I'm sensitive to spice! The flavors were pretty good, but the food was overly greasy. Eww. I enjoyed the Peas Pulao rice, and for $5.99 you got a plate that would serve 8 people. No exaggeration.

The ambiance? It's dive-y. Poorly decorated. Dimly lit. And freezing cold. That about sums it up. Oh - and let us not forget the gigantic TV screens blaring a soccer game in a language I could not identify or understand. In the hour and and half we were there, only one other table filled up, and no one came in for take out.

The service was good. Our waiter was friendly and attentive, and tried to ensure we were happy customers.

If you're looking for quick, cheap, spicy, and very heavy Indian food, Saffron is the place for you. As for me, next time I'm looking for some good Indian fare, I'll stick to some of my tried and true spots.