Local restaurant renamed Saffron

Saffron, formerly The Cafe of India on the Mileground, had its grand opening last week.

Owner and head chef Kumar Prasaonna has only been in Morgantown for a month but is optimistic with his new business endeavor.

The newly owned and operated restaurant was full of patrons during Sunday's lunch rush, and many were there to try the buffet.

Prasaonna was busy going in and out of the kitchen refilling trays, conversing with customers and answering the phones.

After purchasing the restaurant from the previous owners, Prasaonna brought in his own staff of seven.

"I have thirteen years experience," Prasaonna said. "This is my seventh restaurant, and there is another Saffron in Pittsburgh."

Not only has the management changed, but the menu has also.

Saffron specializes in North and South Indian cuisine. There are also several Indochinese meals on the menu.

"Since I've put out the new menu the people have been trying everything different," Prasaonna said. "In our food, we use a lot of Indian spices. We use and make fresh ingredients."

Vegetarian specialties, seafood, tandoori, lamb, rice dishes and more are all included, as well as a mango chutney, lentil soup and the Saffron house pickles, which are hot and spicy Indian pickles.

Saffron also offers a variety of dessert options like mango ice cream, gulab jamun, cheese balls dipped in honey syrup, semiya payasam, a mix of milk and vermicelli sweetened with sugar and others.

"The quality of food at the Cafe of India was really inconsistent, so I would be excited to see what someone else would do," said Yonina Hoffman, an English major at West Virginia University. "I definitely plan to go and try Saffron."

The restaurant also offers a discount to both WVU students and faculty. Saffron is open seven days per week.