New Saffron Tree Restaurant: A Rich taste of India
TORONTO FREE PRESS
Pamela Bloom

Although The Saffron Tree opened less than a month ago, it has already become a popular lunch spot in downtown Toronto. With their extraordinary North Indian cuisine, and their prime location on the corner of Gerrard West and Elizabeth Street, The Saffron Tree is destined to become a favourite among those with an affinity for curry, garlic and of course, saffron.

Owner who has been in Canada for only four years, this new restaurant is a real treat. With gentle Indian flute music playing in the background, it’s easy to forget that you’re in Toronto instead of exotic India.

Indian food, for those who don’t already know, is ideal for vegetarians. Although The Saffron Tree does serve a large selection of delicious fish and chicken dishes, there’s a myriad of nutritious vegetarian options as well...

...The Papad was light and crispy, and a perfect start to a great Indian meal...

For our appetizers...The prawns were marinated in spices and then baked slowly over a low flame in a clay oven. The combination of spices used are a mystery to me, but the overall effect was astonishing, with just the right amount of zing. The Pyaz Ka Pakora were like Indian onion rings; they were light and crispy, and particularly tasty with the Tamarind sauce...

...While South Indian foods lean towards chilies and coconut-based flavours, Northern Indian cuisine is distinguished by its rich sauces and gravies. Although numerous spices are used at The Saffron Tree, the food was by no means excessively spicy, but rich and enticing instead.

The Saffron Tree also has the most delicious mango juice I’ve ever had, and I drink mango juice as often as I can! ...It has a hint of vanilla, and it was a striking accompaniment to Indian food. There is also plain mango juice for those who want to play it safe, but the Mango Lassi is really worth trying.

...Sam, who recently returned from a trip to India, summed up the meal perfectly by saying, “It was all very good.”