Taste the Spices of Third Ward’s Saffron

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Restaurant space on the River in the Third Ward sounds like a dream, but we’ve seen those dreams come and go. Saffron (223 N. Water St.) is a modern Indian restaurant with true staying power. While the space is totally familiar, Saffron has added a completely new dining destination equipped with all the flavors of India to the Milwaukee dining scene.

I don’t call myself an expert on Indian food at all and think ordering is very dependent on personal taste, so take my choices as you will. As a table of three, we ordered the pulled tandori chicken bao bun, lamb laal maas, chickpea masala, saffron butter chicken, khubani malai kofte, garlic and truffle naan, crispy cauliflower and drinks. The manager came to discuss drink specials and I gladly ordered a chai martini, a not-so-distant cousin of the ever-popular espresso martini. While this list sounds like a lot of food, it was not overwhelming but took our taste buds on quite the journey.

We did a great job mixing flavors, textures, meats, and spices. The chai martini really worked well alongside all the dishes, but the white wine was good too. Luckily there were three of us so we could explore the menu more than one could by themself. While I’m sure Saffron is just as delicious when taken home for dinner, the presentation is half of the fun and I’d recommend dining in to get the whole experience. This place was buzzing on a Thursday night and we sat down at 5:30 as we had concert tickets to the nearby Pabst Theater. Reservations are a good idea, but there was plenty of space at the bar for walk-ins.

Being that it’s perfectly located on the edge of the Third Ward, you can easily pop over to a nearby bar for a nightcap or to continue on with your evening. Fair warning—you will be full from dinner and if there’s anything left you’ll want to take it home. So go with friends, order together, and plan to share. Oh, and for real try, you should try the chai martini.