With so many restaurants around town, FACT’s Anushay Taimur Khan just wanted to sit down and taste some familiar cuisine. Saffron Lounge found their next customer as she headed to Katara Cultural Village for tasty Indian delights…

I f you know me, you know I love all things Katara Cultural Village. I feel like the best restaurants in town are found in this iconic cultural hub as this is where I found my favourite karak, my absolute favourite artist and the best music classes. So, it was only natural to hunt down the one Indian restaurant I had not visited here.

Saffron Lounge is difficult to be missed with its name on the building in bright red. As soon as we enter, we can feel the traditional vibes set in as a friendly and knowledgeable team welcomes us to the restaurant. Taking a seat by the window to enjoy the striking view of Katara beach, I felt myself ease into my environment. The walls and gallery towards the dining area mimicked classic Indian-styled arched windows, that were purely for decoration, with ornate chandeliers adding the bling to the room. It looked like I was suddenly in one of the wedding halls that we’ve always seen on TV in Bollywood movies. The entire place had a contrasting red and muted gold palette that is easy on the eyes. In addition, the place had a mix of comfortable sofas with traditional patterned cushions on them as well, giving a regal look to certain sections of the restaurants.

As we started with a fresh beetroot and mint juice, which was deliciously revitalising, we asked the chef to spoil us with the best of the menu. Requesting for small portions of all the dishes, we got right into the chutneys and the famous papads – a yummy welcome snack. The sizzling lentil soup set us in a mood for the aesthetically appealing and modern concept that we sat down for as it came in a thumb-sized cup, with a dash of garam masala, and a sprinkle of coriander – leaving aromas of perfection. A bit strong for my liking but ideally fitting to the menu, I got on to my next target; the famous chaats of India! Over the years, my love for Indian chaats has grown to the extent that midnight cravings have led to flavourful hunts of the best concoction in town. The dhai bharas came in what I would call a small dessert bowl, covered with a spinach leaf that was fried with bread crumbs, introducing me to the ever-pleasing palak pakoda. The burst of flavours as I dug into that first bite of the daal dumplings, mixed with the palatable yogurt and chutneys is indescribable. The spinach pakora oomph-ed up the experience of the entire dish and I was left wanting more.

For the meaty delights, yours truly requested one-bite portions of each of the BBQ items on the menu and I did not regret that in the slightest. With the chutneys at my disposal and meat samplers right in front, I could easily call this a meatilicious affair. Knowing how vegetarian cuisine is a huge part of Indian culture, I was introduced to my first bite of BBQ’d broccoli dressed in melted cheese. If there was any way that vegetables could be part of my diet plan, this was it. The entire BBQ selection was incredible; the mutton chops sealing the deal for me with their tenderness and finger-licking tanginess. The main course was a display of typically traditional Indian dishes that included butter chicken, daal makhni, roghan josh sprinkled with nuts and so on. The crisp and warm roti gave the meal a home-cooked feel and it felt like it was simply a taste that I have known forever. The dessert, in this case, was taking all the points home. The conventional ras malai and saffron cake were given a twist by being displayed in a sandwich and dipped in a sea of cold, sweet milk. Cream on the top of the dessert with strawberries gave it the final big-bang of the night, this dessert was made for a true foodie like me – a fan of Indian sweets till the day I die!

We even got a chance to try the newly launched tea section of the restaurant where a box of India’s finest teas were presented and where I would normally go for the classic red tea, the weather called for a cup of warm chamomile tea this particular evening. Coming in the cutest setting and winning my heart, I sipped on my tea, ending the night on a perfect note.

I would suggest going to Saffron Lounge to sample their BBQ items. Especially as we approach the last few weeks of winters. Don’t miss out on having your tray of chaats on my behalf while you’re there! ✤

GO: CALL 4408 0808 OR VISIT WWW.SAFFRONLOUNGE.NET  FOR RESERVATIONS AND MORE INFORMATION.