We had our valentine's dinner at The Saffron House, an Indian restaurant in nearby Addison. After a brief wait, we were committed to a table, the last one available in a corner of the not-too-large restaurant. They were doing a valentine special at $49 a person. The price was a bit unsettling and caught us unawares, but we went with it.
They had live Indian classical music and the menu was a delight. However, champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate for starting off didn't sit very well, because we shy away from alcohol (Aditi does, and I've been sitting on the fence since we got married with a been-there-done-that attitude, making occasional forays to grace memorable occasions). After Aditi promptly devoured the two strawberries, the lady of the house brought extra samosas to make up for the skipped drink. She wore a beautiful burgundy sari, exquisitely embroidered suiting the rich candle-lit Indian deco and served each table personally and carefully.
We picked the lamb kadhai from a list of entrees and asked to make both portions extra spicy as we always do. Later, we were to develop a healthy appreciation of the chef's willingness in this matter. My appetite surged as the food was brought to the table and I started making a meal of it. The naan was soft and the lamb tender. The flavoured rice was cooked just right and we ate contently.
An asian couple in their early twenties made their way to the table beside. They were within earshot but spoke a language incomprehensible to us. Our conversation seemed plain compared to theirs and it was easy to conclude that they were yet to be married. We couldn't help observing from the corner of our eyes but turned away as they became cuddly, early into their dinner. They finished their meals rather hurriedly and left.
The atmosphere sank in and we relaxed after a rather tiring Monday. The music was soft and stayed in the background. We talked and and ate as the hour passed by. When we looked around, everyone seemed to be having a good time. The waiting staff visited often as I emptied my glass of water half-a-dozen times, but they were hardly intrusive. We reminisced of an easier time back home, with moms and aunts cooking and delicacies taken for granted at dinner time. I arguably eat more than I should when presented a good meal and was hardly going to make an exception here. When it was time for desert, Aditi opted for kheer(rice-pudding) and I had gulab-jamun. The kheer was subtly sweet and the gulab-jamun were rich. Enamored by now, I even finished the rich sheera the gulab-jamun floated in.
To complete the meal, the hostess brought us a small cake with a lit candle and wished us a Happy Valentine's. By now stuffed, we could only plead for a to-go box to take it home along with some left over lamb. We walked out pleased, agreeing that the restaurant staff had done a great job of making it a memorable night.
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