Saffron Indian Restaurant, Oldbury

Awards are not the only impressive thing on offer at this charming Black Country curry house,

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If it's awards you are looking for, you've come to the right place. Oldbury's Saffron restaurant may look modest from the outside, but once you taste the food you can be sure that you are somewhere a real cut above the rest.

The restaurant has long list of accolades - with Saffron the highest-rated Asian restaurant in the region in the Good Food Guide 2009 and named regional winner of The Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year 2010, to name but two.

The silverware is not just reserved for the restaurant, with executive chef Sudha Shankar Saha beating Gordon Ramsay's Claridges sous chef in a national cookery competition.

Fresh from his victory he also appeared on Channel 4's IronChef UK challenge in April this year.

Set up in 2004 Saffron's pledge is "to provide discerning diners exceptional Indian cuisine with a contemporary twist" and they certainly deliver.

Talking to chef Sudha, who has worked in restaurants across Spain, Dubai, Canada and India, it is clear he has a real passion for providing top quality cuisine, specialising in Indian fusion.

Seated in the modern red interior of the 98-seat restaurant, he said: "I am absolutely passionate about cooking and always looking for a challenge that pushes the boundaries. I have worked in a French Michelin-starred restaurant and with knowledge you gain confidence.

"I make a point of using seasonal and local produce which is then infused with spice.

"I aim high and my dream is to attain a Michelin star."

That is the executive chef - now for the food.

The diner is spolit for choice with a huge array of starters for both meat eaters and vegetarians, with main courses divided into tandoori, seafood, biryani, lamb, chicken and vegetarian as well as the extra special Saffron Signature Dishes.

These are the meals the management is especially proud of - 10 specialist dishes, including Lobster Peri-Peri, Beef Steak a al Indiana and Goan Vegetable and Fruit Curry.

It is fair to say that this ain't no ordinary curry house.

As a veggie the Masala Dosa - thin rice pancakes filled with spiced potato served with tomato and coconut curry - were to die for. The meat eaters were equally delighted with the unusual Rabbit Varuval - rabbit, with onion, curry leaves and ground spices.

The presentation was less curry house and more high end restaurant, prepared with a real artistry and attention to detail.

The Mirchi Murgh - marinated chicken cooked in hot chilli garlic sauce with coriander was delicious - and surprisingly complex considering the strength of the flavours.

And the Palak Paneer - cheese and spinach - my "usual" in an Indian establishment was a delight.

The delicious cheese naan deserves a special mention of its own and was one of a plethora of interesting sundries to compliment your dish.

Co-owner Aklasul Momin told me: "We tend to get people who come back again and again from all over the West Midlands and Staffordshire.

"I would say 90 per cent of our customers are repeat trade.

"Murgh Chadni Chok, a chicken-based signature dish is a personal favourite, with Nalli Gosht, another signature dish, with lamb a best seller."

It is clear that Saffron is a restaurant on the up, a new restaurant is set to open its doors in Worcester next month, with plans for a further eaterie in the Colmore Row area of Birmingham next year.

ADDRESS

Saffron Indian Restaurant: 909 Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, B69 4RR

Phone: 0121 5521752

Website: www.saffron-online.co.uk

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 12pm-2.30pm, 5.30pm-11.30pm