Saffron Street - Chicago
Currently operating as a ghost kitchen, Saffron Street offers an exciting, contemporary twist on classic Indian dishes. It’s safe to say that at Saffron Street, you will sample traditional Indian foods in a way you never have before.
Saffron Street specializes in sandwiches, which are not exactly common in India. Though the British influenced the popularity of the sandwich on the subcontinent, a sandwich is not easy to find anywhere in India. Saffron Street brings to Humboldt Park a taste of India in sandwich form, putting between two slices of bread the traditional, colorful, and spicy tastes of India.
Saffron Street specializes in sandwiches, which are not exactly common in India. Though the British influenced the popularity of the sandwich on the subcontinent, a sandwich is not easy to find anywhere in India. Saffron Street brings to Humboldt Park a taste of India in sandwich form, putting between two slices of bread the traditional, colorful, and spicy tastes of India.
Chef/owner Najeeb Mohammed explains that “Saffron Street is a fresh casual restaurant concept that offers a modern/contemporary Indian dining experience for its patrons in a relaxed, comfortable setting. We offer a menu that prominently features translations of classic Indian comfort food favorites that are created by seamlessly integrating quintessential ingredients and cooking techniques with modern contemporary flair and presentation to give our diners a memorable gustatory experience.”
On the Saffron Street menu, you’ll find some familiar foods presented in somewhat unfamiliar – though undeniably delicious – culinary compositions.
Dal (lentils) are found in many Indian preparations. At Saffron Street, a high-protein white lentil spread is spiced with ginger and garlic and dressed with fried onions, green chili, and cilantro on Aya pastry sourdough. So good.
Sag (spinach) is also found in many of the items you might have seen on an Indian buffet, such as sag paneer (spinach with cheese). Saffron Street does a spinach and cheese sandwich, kind of like a hand-held sag paneer, perked up with mint and cilantro chutney.
The Street Brined Chicken Sando is a sandwich of pickle-brined chicken thighs, ghost pepper chutney and caraway mayo, lightened up with lettuce slaw.
Currently, Saffron Kitchen is offering family meals for takeout, and there are some delectable options. The Old Delhi Meal Kit, for instance, is available in a meat option (white cheddar kebab with cilantro chutney, 6-hour slow cooked lamb shank with mint pulao) or a vegetarian option (potato with goat cheese and apple chutney, with butternut squash makhana, and paneer and hazelnut crumble with mint pulao). Both options come with a carrot pudding trifle.
On any visit, whether for a meal or snack, you’d do well to order the okra fries with sweet masala and chilli chutney as well as the kale and corn cakes with mustard chutney.
A visit to Saffron Street is an adventure in eating, and you’re going to like it.
Namaste. Dude.
