Restaurant review: Saffron, Pissouri

By Stephanie Robb

It’s well known that Pissouri hosts some of the best restaurants that Limassol has to offer; the wide variety of restaurants in the small bay makes it almost impossible to choose. Upon arriving I was immediately tempted by something foreign, by the idea of tasting some authentic Indian dishes. Authentic and truly tasteful Indian dishes are hard to come by in Limassol, and the thought of a spicy dish was just too much to resist.

To start the meal off there was no other option than the sheish kebab. I love them and the marinated starter made a perfect start to our meal. The lamb was soft and almost melted in the mouth and the accompanying tangy mint sauce brought out a whole new flavour pallet. We, of course, accompanied these with poppadums: they were soft and full of flavour.
If you have a taste for the spicy and truly hot dishes, Saffron is the place to go to. Although the variety of curry dishes suits all tastes, starting with the mild masala and moving towards hot dishes like the madras and vindaloo. One thing can be said about the madras dishes, they are not for the faint-hearted – this must have been the spiciest dish I have ever tasted in Limassol. It was absolutely delicious; the madras spices although searing the mouth also left a mouthwatering taste that left you to keep coming back for more.

After I had braved the madras my pallet needed something a little more subdued and I looked into the dopiaza, something I had not tasted before. The prawn dopiaza, which is a lightly spiced sauce with lots of onion and tomato, made the perfect combination. This dish is perfect for those who like their dishes with a spicy taste but not to the extent which it might burn. Both of these were accompanied with rice and authentic naan bread.

Other dishes worth trying are murgmukhini (butter chicken), made from chicken tikka cooked in a creamy tomato and cashew nut sauce flavoured with fenugreek leaves, ginger and honey. The chicken made in this restaurant is cooked to perfection; soft and anything but dry. The combination of the sauce nuts and the sweet honey gives the dish a bittersweet taste that is unmatched. There is also a wide selection of fish dishes cooked in Indian spices that provide a tangy taste that you will not find elsewhere.

Overall the restaurant left me with the best impression due to the authenticity of the Indian dishes, the size of the dishes and how affordable the prices were. The friendly staff make your experience at the restaurant even more enjoyable. However, I did find the tables a little too tightly packed, when eating a hot dish you feel like you need all the air and space you can get! Nevertheless I would brave the drive anytime to Pissouri for a taste of Saffron.

VITAL STATISTICS
Specialty: Indian
Price: €15-20 per person
Where: Ampelonon Street, Pissouri
Contact: 96 778084