Forget oily, tangoed curries and piles of sticky, clumped rice to wash down the undistinguishable mismatch of overpowering spices; or at least for an evening. Saffrons is not your typical Indian.
After hearing about the intricate fusion menu at Saffrons and it’s uniqueness in combining locally sourced food with Indian tastes and techniques, we were intrigued. As we took our seats in the chic, blissfully airy restaurant with a panoramic view of St Helier and glanced at the menu, we knew we’d have something to talk about for some time after.
Of course, we didn’t hesitate when it came down to choosing between the seven course Degustation Menu and the A La Carte Menu. It was a good job we weren’t driving that evening as each course was served with a different wine, meticulously selected to compliment the intricate flavours.
First impressions were excellent, the gently spiced chutney and creamy shot of yoghurt to go with our mini popadums along with the slightly zingy yet sweet taste of the Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry was a delightfully refreshing start to the meal. Our waiter was attentive and was keen to give comprehensive explanations of the food and drink pairings. Despite the in depth description offered, he made an effort to use universally apprehensible language so as to avoid alienating those of us who perhaps aren’t the connoisseurs we’d like to be. After each course and despite becoming increasingly tipsy, we gradually began to feel more like wine boffins in an ancient French chateau.
The most memorable of the course was the Rajasthani lamb curry, beef tournados (marinated overnight) crispy artichokes and missi roti. You may have tasted succulent, but Saffron’s takes succulent to the melt-in-the-mouth extreme. The punch of spice juxtaposes perfectly with the tender meat, sending your tastebuds on a culinary rocket from Jersey to India in the space of a mouthful; and that’s just part of one course.
The portion sizes were perfect and they managed to retain the look and authentic elegance of fine-dining European cuisine. By the time it came to sampling dessert, we were already beginning to feel sufficiently full. The decent servings of kalamansi and honey ice-creams gave us that all-important zesty boost we needed to become more excitable about la finalé. SPOILER ALERT, the soft ice-creams cleverly disguised a bed of popping candy that obviously came with a serving of nostalgia, which probably proves to be fabulous technique for waking up any tiresome diners.
World class Head Chef Philippe Maratier has created an incredible menu that ensures that you will have a truly memorable dining experience. Saffrons is often listed as a local favourite restaurant, and yet there are still people who haven’t heard of it! Take it from us, the hype is totally justified.
Call Saffrons on 614000 to make a reservation.
