Photo credit goes to a reviewer on www.yelp.com.
by Laura
A quick update on the local Indian food scene, which, yes, we are obsessed with tapping into. We recently sought out one of the weekend buffets in the Morrisville/Cary area, and went with Saffron. The place had good marks from both friends & online reviewers despite being a bit pricey during normal meal service. But, the beauty of buffet specials meant that pricey was just $11/each on a Sunday afternoon.
The draw of Northern Indian cuisine created quite a line of customers – and waiting to fill your plate was slightly unwieldly, thanks to a cramped setup. The restaurant was a bit off the beaten path in general, several miles off of I-40 in a strip mall. But, our stomachs were soon extremely full, and overall, satisfied.
We compared our experience to Mint, a newish Indian offering on Franklin Street, which is definitely decent and more convienient for Chapel Hill residents - but go to Saffron if you like a bit of spice, in addition to a greater selection of vegetarian entrees. The veggie options shone, in both quality and variety, although a few choices were too oily, and it would have been nice to have an equal amount of meat dishes available. Harold is partial to Mint because of their honey-soaked desserts (technically called gulab jamun, at least according to my extensive Internet research) – but I would give the slight edge to Saffron for a more authentic experience.
Both places would fit into the category of moderately-upscale Indian, and they’re clearly trying to avoid a hole-in-the-wall feel. I’m not sure that features like swanky bar setups are a necessity, but the decor does create an elevated atmosphere.
Unfortunately….I still haven’t found a place I like nearly as much as our favorite haunts in New York. Our brave search continues!
Laura
Harold
