Saffron

You've never been to an Indian restaurant like Saffron. What started as a once-a-week pop up on the West Bank is now wowing diners Uptown on Magazine, and not just locals are in the know. The restaurant made the cut for the James Beard Award nominations in the category of Best New Restaurant, quite an honor. Well deserved in this case, thanks to Saffron's one-of-a-kind cuisine, contemporary fusion of regional Indian dishes and Louisiana ingredients, a stylish setting and an over-the-top craft cocktail list that will have your taste buds cheering. Chef Arvinder Vilkhu channels his Indian heritage with local and global flavors, inspiration from his grandmother's kitchen as well as chefs from New Orleans, Thailand, Singapore and France. Owned and managed by the Vilkhu family, Saffron offers a riot of small plates for sharing, all served with traditional bread or roti sati. Try the oysters bed roast with caramelized onions, garlic and curry leaf, charcuterie plate (when was the last time you had chicken pate and truffle naan at an Indian restaurant?) and the most wonderful spice crusted Gulf fish with mango pickle. Desserts, never worth eating at most curry houses, have names like curry is my jam and chocolate & chai, all wonderful.