I feel as if I have discovered gold in my backyard. After reading a few raving reviews for Saffron Cafe, I decided to invite a few friends to a 'gals night out' and see if there was any truth to the accolades. We made reservations (definitely recommended) for a Friday night and made the short drive into downtown Indianapolis.
Upon entry to the tucked away, corner restaurant we were greeted warmly by the chef's wife and promptly seated with the scents and sounds of Morocco wafting around us. This was going to be a tasting meal so we all ordered separate dishes and asked for additional plates so we could share "family style". First to be served was the avocado and orange salad. What a wonderful combination of savory and sweet with a slight underlying heat.
The salad whetted our appetites and we were soon eager for our entrees to arrive. One by one our menagerie of Moroccan dishes appeared from the kitchen; each one just as delicious as the next. The service was very helpful, describing each dish impeccably. Many of the staff are family members and are happy to fill a water glass or whatever your need may be. The meals were fabulous, meats were succulent, vegetables crisp and fresh and the sauces, ohhh the sauces were the show stoppers-they are that which make Moroccan cuisine so delectable. We ate and ate, while Claire entertained us with stories of her recent family trip to Spain, where they took a day to spend in Morocco. It was wonderful to spend time with my friends and our daughters to learn about and experience a cuisine that was relevantly new to us all.
Isabella enjoys mussells in saffron cream
Tara and Maris
I think Julia enjoyed that evening's special over all: Atlantic Salmon with peas and thyme lemon cream on a bed of couscous
Abigail chose the paella and it was perfection on a plate!
We couldn't resist digging into the lamb filet.
We all cleaned our plates and what we couldn't finish was lunch the next day.
Saffron Cafe is on my Must Visit list for Indianapolis.
It's a bright, cheery color. A juicy, sweet, citrus fruit. But most importantly last week, it was our choice for breakfast and not the fruit, the restaurant. While in Chicago over Spring Break we went to Orange on N. Grant in Lincoln Park. We had a fabulous breakfast. Their menu offers brunch items which encompasses variou delicious breakfast and lunch items and I can say it took quite some time for me to decide my meal-Everything is too appealing!
River, Logan and Isabella, my little epicureans are some of my favorite dining companions. It is really surprising how they all have good palates and a desire to try everything and anything!
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We started out by ordering our own individual freshly squeezed juices. We all decided that Isabella's combination of orange, lemon and strawberry was the best.
River decided that his orange-grapefruit juice was very tart and sour. Although in his own words, "I like it because it makes me make funny faces."
The highlight of the morning was Logan's Frushi. The rice was flavored with coconut milk or fruit juices and replacing the fish was as you could guess, fruit. The sauces on which the "maki" and "nigiri" were placed were so good he wanted to lick the plate clean.
Isabella and River shared the pancake flight. Four sets of 3 the largest silver dollar pancakes I have ever seen- Tropical strawberry coconut cream, double chocolate, blueberry mango cream cheese, and roasted banana with hazelnut chocolate and coconut creme. Loved them. The flight changes every two weeks.
I am always game for new and interesting renditions of eggs benedict. Mine was the Caprese Benedict. A traditional english muffin was topped with an oven roasted tomato, fresh buffalo mozzarella, perfectly poached eggs and basil pesto hollandaise served with a yummy side of fried potatoes. It was ohhhhhhhh soooooooo gooooooooood.
Orange is now on our "must stop" list when we are in the Windy City and we suggest you try it on your next visit. It will not disappoint.
We had the best morning. The weather was beautiful. We missed Chad who had to stay at home to work, but none-the-less had a great family trip. More details to come...
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A couple of years ago, when I was pregnant with River, I was obsessed with Thai food. I learned to make deliciously spicy and creamy curries, tangy, simple soups with complex flavors and the perfect jasmine rice just to start. Last week this craving crept back up (no, I am not pregnant) and I went on my adventure for the exotic lunch. On the west side of West Lafayette, just off Sagamore Pkwy in a small stripmall is Thai Essence. I had eaten here when they first opened, but fater moving out of town had not had the opportunity to return. It is the sister restaurant to Basil Thai in Chauncy Village on Purdue's campus. Quite different from it's older sister, Thai Essence is a quiet, serene and minimalist establishment adorned with indigenous artwork and a palet of cream and black. The service was friendly and courteous. I love dumplings so my meal began with steamed chicken potstickers. These are delicious and you can basically find good ones just about anywhere, however I believe that the actual dumpling wrapper may have been homemade. Always a plus in my book.
Along with my dumplings, I additionally had my favorite and probably the most common of Thai soups, Tom Yung Kung. It is a warming, sour (from the lemongrass and lime) and brothy soup with chunks of tomato, delicately steamed shrimp, mushrooms and cilantro. Beware, it is spicy, one of the reasons I love it especially when I have a little cold.
For my entree I ordered Yum Nuer, a chargrilled steak on crisp lettuce with shallots, scallions and cucumber dressed in a chili lime viniagrette. The warm smoky steak pairs so well with the spicy tart dressing, while the cucumber and lettuce provide a nice crunch that provides just the texture to top off an gorgeous salad.
There are many more enticing entrees with noodles or rice, dimsum and mouthwatering desserts. Take time with the menu it contains excellent descriptions of each item. Whether you like it spicy or not, let you server know and they are more than happy to modify the dish to your specifications. They are open Mon-Sat lunch: 11am-2:30pm and dinner: 4:30pm-9pm. They are closed on Sundays, cater special events and accept reservations 756.239.9380. Thai Essence is a gastronomic homerun.
