Where to Start: Tandoori Starters and Kebabs
A good Indian meal opens at the tandoor. The clay oven runs fierce and dry, and the dishes that come out of it, charred at the edges and smoky through the middle, are the best possible way to start. At Saffron Soho our tandoori starters are made to share, and they set the tone for everything that follows.
The Kebabs to Know
Seekh Kebab is the classic: lightly spiced minced lamb, pressed onto a skewer and grilled until it picks up colour and smoke. It is savoury, juicy and immediately moreish.
Chicken or Lamb Tikka is marinated in our own blend of spices and cooked in the clay oven until tender. The marinade does the seasoning, the tandoor does the rest, and the result carries that signature char you cannot get any other way.
For something with more theatre, the Lamb Chop Sizzler arrives still hissing, the chops cooked in the tandoor then fried with fresh garlic and onions.
Sharing Platters
If you cannot choose, do not. The Saffron Special brings chicken tikka, lamb tikka, seekh kebab and onion bhaji together, served sizzling with salad. The Mixed Platter for two pairs samosa and onion bhaji with chicken and lamb tikka.
These platters are the heart of a shared table. They give everyone a taste of the tandoor before the curries land, and they are exactly the kind of food you want when a group sits down together.
For Vegetarians
The tandoor is not just for meat. Paneer Tikka comes out of the clay oven with the same smoke and char, the cheese firm and golden. Tandoori Mixed Vegetable brings tomato, onion, peppers, potato and cauliflower, marinated and grilled.
Both sit comfortably alongside the meat starters, and both are clearly marked on the menu. A mixed table of tandoori dishes, meat and vegetarian together, is one of the best ways to eat with friends.
Why They Matter
Tandoori starters are nut and gluten free, which makes them an easy, safe opener for a mixed group. More than that, they show you the kitchen at its most honest. There is no heavy sauce to lean on, just marinade, smoke and timing.
Get the starters right and the rest of the meal follows. They wake up the palate, they get the table talking, and they leave you ready for the curries to come.
Come and Eat With Us
We serve the full menu straight through from midday, late into the night: until midnight, every night.
You will find us at 63 Old Compton Street, W1D 6HT, two minutes from the West End and close to Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road.
Book a table online or call us on 020 3941 9935.
