Mad about Zaffron

Very Good ZAFFRON
69 N. King St.
533-6635
Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday
Buffet dinner: 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday

By Matthew Gray
Advertiser Restaurant Critic

"I’m just mad about saffron," Miss A. sang, as we left the King Street Indian dining establishment called Zaffron.

"Great tune," I responded. "The artist who recorded that song was named Donovan. Ten bucks if you know his last name."

The story of saffron is a fascinating one. The seasoning comes from the dried stigmas of the crocus flower. Each flower has only three stigmas, and it takes between 100,000 and 150,000 stigmas to make a pound of saffron. Thus, the cost of genuine high-quality saffron is astronomical.

Fortunately, a little saffron goes a long way. It is of orange color with a strong perfume and a bitter taste, and a half-teaspoon of powdered saffron threads will flavor about 1 cup (raw measure) of rice.

Formerly valued as a medicinal herb and dye, saffron is now principally used for flavoring and coloring foods. It supplies the characteristic flavor and color in Spanish paella, Italian risotto, French bouillabaisse, Arabic lamb and chicken, and, of course, certain highly prized Indian dishes.

India thrives on taste. One of the most glorious experiences the world offers can often be found in the home kitchens of India’s people. Each day, the country’s markets flourish, offering exotic, delicate and fragrant herbs and spices — including saffron.

If you are interested in an India-inspired culinary adventure in Hawai‘i that also includes saffron, you should make your way over to Zaffron Restaurant. Try the Wednesday through Saturday night buffet ($15.00 adults, $7.50 children) for an introduction to this foreign intrigue.

I first heard of Zaffron from my friend Michael, who said, "Zaffron reminds me of Toronto." That was enough to send me straight there, as Toronto is also quite the hub for Indian cuisine.

The night Miss A. and I dined at Zaffron, there must have been a dozen items to choose from at the buffet. We started with samosas, triangular fried pastries filled with potatoes and green peas. The flavor was mild and readied us for the rest of our journey.

The heartier fare included tandoori chicken (marinated in a herbed and spiced yogurt), a great saag aloo (a mild curried spinach dish with potatoes), mixed veggies, chicken curry, dahl (split lentils cooked to a thick consistency), korma meatballs and choley (a garbanzo bean-based dish). Lamb curry was also being offered that evening.

If you’ve never tasted basmati rice, you’re in for a treat here. Two dishes showcase the famously fragrant rice, and they will delight your olfactory senses long before the first taste.

The staff brought out breads that are important to Indian cuisine: naan (the traditional soft variety) and chapati, which we used to soak up all the available sauciness.

After trying everything (at least) twice, we went for the desserts. There was kheer — a basmati rice pudding, creamy, thick and lightly sweet. We were attempting to be dainty, sharing from one small bowl; two spoons in high-speed pursuit. ...

The second dessert we loved in a large way. It is called halawa on the menu; a precious pudding made from semolina, with sliced almonds and saffron threads visibly incorporated into the mix. It was not a liquid consistency as you might assume, but instead was thick, almost quiche-like, tasting of almonds.

Indian hot tea was offered gratis to us as we finished off our meal. It was sweet, creamy and flavored with cardamon and saffron.

Choose from a good selection of vegetarian items here. Zaffron does not use butter in its creations, only vegetable oil. The restaurant grows fresh herbs on the premises.

The very charming proprietor, Taiyab Khan, regaled us with food history and was very welcoming. I felt as if I was a guest in his living room, not merely a patron. Every restaurant operator could learn a valuable lesson from this gentleman.

Friday, December 8, 2000

Copyright © 2002 Zaffron
zaffronhawaii@zaffronhawaii.com
www.zaffronhawaii.com