The Weekly Eater

By Nadine Kam
Star-Bulletin

Thursday, October 3, 1996

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Restaurateurs heeded the moral of that story; that is, when in doubt, water it down. They insist we can't take the intense and exotic, that they must sacrifice authenticity to suit the "local palate." I find that insulting. Some of us may very well appreciate the real thing.

Those who can't take the heat should stay out of the kitchen. But nooooo. They show up. They complain, even though there are at least a hundred watered down restaurants they could frequent. The new menu is adjusted. What are the rest of us supposed to do?

There is a chance to save Zaffron. The restaurant may serve up the cuisine of India, but it's in a plate-lunch format with recipes diluted since opening day about a month ago. They're still fine-tuning, so it's up to you to go in and say, "No more tinkering."

Other diners are demanding a more elegant experience. That may come later. For now, Zaffron is offering plate lunches by day and dinner only on Saturday nights in a buffet to draw the curious. It's worth a try.

One plate might feature tender yogurt-marinated Tandoori Chicken ($7), along with flat Naan Bread, the saffron-spiced rice dish Biriyani, a Vegetable or spicy Chickpea Curry and a simple salad accompanied by Raita, a yogurt-based condiment.

Zaffron takes its spices seriously, paying $2,000 a pound for its saffron. I used to think of saffron as something of a joke, so precious that it was used in too scant amounts to be tasted. Here, there's no skimping and the mellow floral taste of the tiny threads - the stigmas of Crocus sativus - comes through on the sweet-tasting basmati rice. Also adding flavor are cumin seeds, whole cloves, peppercorns and green cardamom pods stirred into the rice pot.

Mahimahi was the catch in a Fish Curry ($7). Its briny flavor made it a dish for only the most ardent of fish aficionados.

In the evening, the buffet line might begin with Samosas, meat- or vegetable-filled pastries similar to wontons. The vegetable samosa was filled with a well-textured paste of potatoes, red bell peppers, peas and spices. The meat version was made of ground lamb and potatoes. I thought the vegetable version was the more flavorful of the two.

Goat Korma was a tasty stew, even if the goat tasted like braised oxtails.

Palakgost was a dish of lamb and spinach, with a salt content that made it somewhat addictive. Don't expect the meat in any of these dishes to come in the bite-size chunks. Here, you get the bones and all.

The finishing touches are heavy, starchy desserts of Saremia or Kheer. The former is a firm "pudding" of vermicelli noodles and milk accented with lemony beads of cardamom. The latter is similar, though more soupy and made of rice. If you enjoyed polishing off the condensed milk left over from mom's pumpkin pies, you'll love this.

Where: 69 N. King St.(corner of King and Smith streets)
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays
Prices: Less than $10 per person for lunch; dinner buffet $12.50 for adults, $6 for children
Call: 533-6635

- excellent;
- very good, exceeds expectations;
- average;
- below average.