Love this place. Granted my family always orders the same 3 or four dishes, because we are super boring people, but, hey, why try something new when you know what you want. The servers here are great, super polite and they don't blast music like a lot of Austin area restaurants do. I go here, eat food that I like, all while maintaining my sanity because I am able to maintain a conversation with my family without telepathy or raising my voice to be heard. I never leave here stressed out, like I do with other restaurants who are blasting you right out of their restaurant. I like to feel like my dining experience is important to the restaurant, and Saffron does this. read more

Ordered takeout: the lamb pasanda, lamb vindaloo, and garlic naan. Everything was delectable. I'm not allowed to have spicy food right now so I ordered the mild pasanda (I would normally have ordered vindaloo), and I actually loved it even more than the taste I had of the vindaloo so it was nice to feel like I wasn't missing out on all the fun for once. The people were also super hospitable offering me a seat and a water for my very brief wait. (I ordered it when I was a 6 minute drive away). Can't wait to eat a lot more from this place once I get this baby out. read more

Great little spot in a deceivingly normal little strip mall. I don't remember the names of the dishes but for starters we got something sort potato filled wonton which my sister loved but I was left mildly unimpressed by. I found it bland and way too hot to be served, they should let it rest for a bit before servings The main entrees, which my sister and i shared were amazing though. We got the run of the mill, westernized version of Indian food, although they had a number of traditional options available. The tandoori chicken and tiki masala were amazing. Full of flavor and the rice was cooked perfectly. The service was great as well, with a number of servers running around. All of which were very informed about the menu and would greet us happily. My root metric for rating quality service has always been their attention to my drink level, which the servers always made sure was full. 5/5 for service. read more

Wow! An Indian lunch buffet with real flavors. Unlike the other Austin Indian restaurants I've visited for lunch. 14 steam tray offerings. All of them flavorful. Well spiced without too much heat. About half had meat. No dried chicken. The Chicken Tandori was not red-dyed. Chicken tiki masala was excellent. Will go back. read more

Called on a Thursday night for takeout. Never been here before but with the great reviews, figured it was worth as shot and I was impressed. I love Indian food and never had Nepalese before. Vegetable Momo - yummy steamed dumplings stuffed with veggies and the sauce seals the deal. Came with two dipping suaces. A green one that was a nice complement to the spicy red one. The spicy sauce was awesome, tasted like habenero, a lovely burn. Saffron Chicken Lazeez - mince chicken and spinach in a creamy sauce. This was a very uniquely flavored dish and I really loved the pop of mint that wasn't overpowering. It was kinda like a savory sag paneer with a refreshing element. Definitely worth getting again! Baigan Bhartha- mashed smoked eggplant, cilantro, onion, chili pepper, mustard oil. I loved the texture and spice blend profile. Garlic naan - Tasty but as takeout, it's hard because the bread gets a little soggie wrapped in foil, which I'm sure is better to get dining in. The spice level on both entrees I asked for was hot. It was delicious and balanced. Overall, I would definitely come back. Checking in for the first time here got us 10% off the order- thank you, Yelp! read more

We came here for a friend's birthday dinner as she was craving some momos. They said the wait was 5 min. We waited outside for 15 and went back in. They ask us to wait us for another 20 min. We did wait patiently. They were seating people coming after us. After 40 min wait, we were told that we had to wait for another 20 min. I would have given zero stars if I could have. We would have preferred them being honest with us if they were not equipped enough to serve us. A huge disappointment. Never going back!! read more

The food is always delicious!! The ingredients consistently tastes fresh, and never reheated. It doesn't taste like they cut corners in prep. The service from the staff is top notch - everyone is so friendly and accommodating. If you're craving GREAT, flavorful Indian food - Saffron is the place to go. Highly recommend! read more

Oh , Saffron. I'm sorry to do this to you. But you're not as amazing as the non- natives make you out to be. Let me start out by saying that Nepalese cuisine is unique. There are elements of Hakka (info- Chinese) , Indian , Chinese and Nepal flavors, in addition to native dishes. This blend usually results in an explosion of variety, and diverse flavor. Sadly , the latter was absent. We made the mistake of going there on a Saturday night. The place was overflowing with people and incredibly noisy. As a result of prior reservations we were seated, and given water. (BYOB place). We ordered the veggie dumplings, paneer appetizer and the Bombay Brussels for starters. Our apps arrived in 20 minutes, which I thought was decent, given the crowd. The dumplings were excellent. I loved the dipping sauce and the potions. The Bombay Brussels lived up to the flavor expectation - the combination of turmeric with the Brussels sprouts was definitely a good thing. The paneer- run of the mill. 20 minutes after the apps were empty, the waiter came up to us to get our entrees orders. We ordered 3 entrees, relatively easy ones to make under the most pressing of circumstances. An hour passed , AN HOUR. We hailed the head waiter, who was unfortunately rude to us because we pointed out that parties that arrived after us were being attended to and fed while we waited around empty plates. To add insult to injury, it appeared that our order wasn't placed at all, that the head waiter refused to acknowledge and apologize for. Sigh. When the food did appear, it was okay at best. I've tasted much better dhal Makhani at smaller and more inexpensive restaurants ,and portions are a slight joke. It always amazes me how restaurants, despite making customers wait for food, always manage to deliver the receipt at the speed of light. The manager apologized for the delay, we told him no offense was taken , and we literally ran out. I need to point this out. This restaurant caters to the Caucasian palate. Those of us who know Indian and Nepali food can easily spot the gaps and the pretense for what it is. Although it's a perfectly fine place to have dumplings, I can't say that I was bowled over by it. read more

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If you're looking for some great Indian food for takeout, or in a casual environment, I definitely recommend Saffron. The husband and I picked up a couple of samosas, saag paneer, and the malai kebab for dinner this evening. Everything was very tasty, especially the malai kebab. Next time I may request a little extra spice for the saag paneer. My only complaint was that the portion is a little small for a couple of people who don't really do the rice and naan thing. Now I know! One thing's for sure, it's good to have other great Indian food option in town. I look forward to going back to Saffron soon to try more of their dishes. read more

Just want to mention that if you go when they have the buffet, that is good too. I personally love the Sag Paneer!

Food: 3/5 Lamb was a little small. Girlfriend and I were pretty happy with all the food flavors though. Was not too impressed with the desserts. Tasted a little too sweet and artificially so. Go for the entrees. Service: 4/5 Attentive and professional waiters. Was a little awkward at times, but I appreciated their effort. Atmosphere: 3/5 The tables and silverware were quality, as was the lighting. Very classy. But it was a little odd seeing the walls and flooring of the restaurant which was a little older and more run down. Bathrooms: ?/5 Price: 3/5 A little expensive for my taste :/ expect to pay close to around $10+ per person read more

I'd probably not drive out of my way, but if you are in the neighborhood, Saffron is a solid choice for Nepalese and Indian food. The ambience and service is good. From the Nepalese menu, we love the chicken momos and chicken choila. From the Indian menu, the lamb vindaloo is pretty good. Overall, I think the prices are a bit higher than other Indian restaurants. read more

Welcome to the 'hood, Saffron. I'm a little late to the party and even later with my review. My first take out order was skimpy and I did not particularly like one of the items. However, I've moved on, tried many more dishes, dined in and can certainly say the restaurant is becoming another "go to" for us. Just a sampling of what we love: Brussels Sprouts - Oh My. They are wearing a spicy tang and are a bit hot. But hot like a cute guy. Not hot like the Texas sun in August. Gluten Free Tiki Masala - Delish. Chicken cubes folded into a warm spiced up tomato sauce. Lamb Vindaloo (I love that word!) - Hubby loves this dish with chunks of lamb enveloped in a red chili Indian sauce. Chicken Lollipops - marinated and grilled chicken drumettes were okay. Nothing to write to Aunt Lou about but simply O.K. Bring your own beer and wine as they do not have a liquor license. I get the impression they don't want one and prefer customers to BYO. Fine by me as I can bring my favorite bottle. Now the space is just that. A space. Simple. Clean. Minimal. read more

This is a great little local Indian restaurant. Service is excellent as is the cuisine. Staff is there to please. We've eaten here several times & it is consistently good. Ambience is very casual & is quiet. Another plus, and you need to be aware, there is no wine menu. Good news is, there is a great little local wine shop just a couple of stores down. Bon appetit. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by Saffron. I didn't really know what to expect, as I haven't had Nepalese and Indian food can vary drastically from place to place (as can most food, I suppose), but I really enjoyed our meal here. I'll start with the most important part: the food! Our apps were momos (Nepalese dumplings - we had the chicken). I loved this dumpling and the curry dipping sauce it came with (actually tasted a bit like the tikka masala sauce). The chicken lollypops were crispy, meaty and flavorful. There was another app, the name of which I've forgotten, which was like a chicken and veggie stir fry. The chicken had a strong mustardy flavor, which I didn't love (despite the fact that I'm a big fan of mustard). I ordered my standby - chicken tikka masala, and it was very good - not really so good it can be distinguished from my other favorite places like Teji's, Tarka, or Clay Pit, but good nonetheless. My favorite dish was the one someone else ordered - the chow mein from the Nepalese menu. This tasted like straight up indo-chinese (leaning toward traditional Chinese) to me, and I was given to understand that Nepalese isn't quite so "chinesey" but whatever the case, I loved those noodles, and when I have a lo mein (which is what it was really like) craving, I'd go here over any of the Chinese places I know of in Austin. I sampled a bit of everyone's food, and everything was really tasty. I am looking forward to coming back and ordering those noodles myself, as well as another of my favorites - Mattar Paneer. The garlic naan was also fantastic. Really perfect amount of garlic flavor, without making it impossible for people to be near you the rest of the day. It's a no frills restaurant and there's a lunch counter/buffet for quick meals during the week. I'm looking forward to trying more from the tandoor as it all looked really, really tasty. read more

I had to go back to Saffron with the family in tow. This time, we started with their lassis. Mango and lychee. First the kidlet's mango lassi came out, and we were raving about it. Then my lychee lassi came out, and its a good thing I love my kid, because he was sipping out of it like his life depended on it. Good stuff. While getting seated, I went ahead & ordered the chicken momos due to my previous experience where I learned they take forever (about 20 mins) to cook. They were delicious, fresh, and worth the wait. I highly recommend placing this order as soon as you walk in the door. They were very accommodating about my need for a completely non-spicy dish for my son. The chicken kababs (murg malai kabab) was made to order for us. The meat was tender and completely non-spicy. (I had to dip it in my husband's curry for some oomph.) The man got the goat curry, extra spicy, and we loved it. The only odd part was that the naan arrived really early, and all the other food took a while. The kababs were slow to arrive due to our special requests, but even otherwise, the naan was cool to touch by the time the entrees came out. I'm hoping they will read this review and fix that. However, since we were starving while waiting for the momos (which arrived after the first entree!), the naans did come in handy. We finished up the meal with a second serving of lychee lassi. Because, why stop at one when you can have two? read more

Really surprised with this awesome place on Far West. Went for lunch on the weekend, and instead of the buffet, got the food a la carte. As usual the interior is pretty bare bones, but clean. I will take clean and bare bones, over dirty any day. The service was very good, which is something a lot of other Indian restaurants take for granted, but here they do not. So another win in my books. Now for the food, the indo-chinese is fantastic. The vegetable chow mein and the vegetable momos are simply delicious. Pro-tip - Get the momos to go, and crisp them up with some oil in a pan. You can thank me later. We also got the naan and the mutter paneer which was also really really good. Again go here, and you won't regret it. And take it from an expert, at an Indian restaurant don't go for the buffet first. Always try the a la carte menu first, and then based on that go for the buffet. read more

This had to be one of the worst Indian lunch buffets I can remember. It's cheap sure at $10. The service was really good. Everyone in the restaurant was both friendly and helpful. But none of that can make up for what I thought was pretty mediocre food. The chicken tikka was dull in color and flavor. I presume the cubed chicken was at least several days old. The chicken curry was a little bit better. You could pull apart some of the large pieces of chicken. The yellow dal tasted like some kind of cleaning agent. I'm not sure if I was allergic to something in the dal or if there actually was a mishap in the kitchen. Vegetable pakora was not bad. It's hard to screw up fried vegetables. The egg curry was new for me. The flavor of the curry was slightly sweet. But the overcooked hardboiled eggs were too sulfuric for me to eat much of that dish. There are a lot of 5 star reviews on here and this place was personally recommended by a friend so I may need to come back to order off of the regular menu but so far I am not impressed nor pleased. read more

I had the Brussels sprouts and chicken chow mein (hadn't heard of that with Indian spices before) and both were excellent. The garlic naan was also very good. The place felt very clean and service was friendly and attentive throughout the meal without being intrusive. They had a big table that looked great for an office or family Christmas gathering. read more

This was a 2 maybe 2.5 for me. The really nice service is why I'm rounding it up to 3. I could tell they care and were eager for you to enjoy yourself. That goes a long way. After hearing and reading nothing but great stuff, I was eager to give Saffron a try. Unfortunately, the lunch combo did not live up to it for me. Also, they claim to be "Indian Fusion", but at least what was available for lunch was standard Indian fare. Here's what I chose for the 3 item combo: Saffron Goat Curry - First off, I could not taste any saffron. Do they call it "Saffron" only after their name or is there really saffron in it? Hard to tell with no saffron flavor. Second, it was super salty and strangely tasted more and more salty the more I ate it. Chicken Tikka Masala - It tasted like dry canned chicken in Campbell's tomato soup. I fancy myself somewhat of a Chicken Tikka Masala connoisseur and this was not very good in my opinion. Saag - This was pretty good, or at least seemed better when laid next to the other 2 dishes. The lemon rice was good as was their naan which was fresh and crispy (probably the best thing on the table). Based on the reviews, this was pretty disappointing. Maybe ordering off their regular menu is the way to go rather than the lunch combo. Doubtful I'll return to find out anytime soon. read more

This is an aspirational 5 star review ... the food was definitely 5 star, the service needs to catch up but I have hopes for it. So, our drinks were mango lassi for my lovely bride, and iced tea for me. The lassi was very good - you got a nice, fresh taste from the mango. The tea was excellent, though it was a different sort (not chai) from your Texas iced tea. We started with the momos - chicken dumplings, a Nepalese dish. The dumplings had a thick but not too thick batter, and the chicken was tasty - different spices than a typical pork dumpling. The peanut sauce was a good compliment, spicy enough to charge up the dumplings. For entrees, we had Jinga Karahi - shrimp with a tomato sauce with onions, peppers and spices, and Bhindi Masala - okra cooked with onions. The Jinga was great - the sauce really worked - we scooped up all of that with some rice and garlic naan. My wife liked the Bhindi Masala more than I did - the okra was cooked but not overcooked, and the veggie dish counterbalanced the chicken and shrimp. Finally, the garlic naan was perfect - the bread was not overbrowned, it was not too doughy, and the garlic on the top had just the right amount of kick. The service still needs work - I would have liked more drink refills and plates with the appetizers, but you could tell this was just getting started, so I'm hopeful this will improve. I'm ready to head back for the Tandoori mixed grill .... read more

I really like Nepali cuisine as it brings together the best of Indian and Chinese. We decided to try this place after a few friends recommended on a Saturday night. Firstly, place was deserted. We were also a little disenchanted by the shop lights and bland decor. Seemed more like a quick lunch combo place for the office crowd in this area. Anyways, the main goal was to try some delicious momos (steamed dumplings) - which we did. Liked the momos, but yes, I've had better. Good dipping sauce, but I found the portion size to be small. Overall, I'd definitely order it again. We also ordered their chowmein but they were simply egg noodles with some veggies in soy sauce. Really small portion and there was no umami! Later I ordered he Narghisi malai kofta; the kofta texture was good, but a little heavy/tangy on a tomato curry sauce. I grew up eating this dish so I am really fastidious about this one. Usually malai kofta should have a cashew cream based sauce but this was more like a tikka masala sauce. We met the owner/manager - service was super fast and friendly. But I felt they are still discovering themselves. Trying to be a neighborhood restaurant and not specifically a Nepali cuisine speciality. I'd drive down there for the latter and not the former. I little dash of color and flattering light to the decor, some more authentic Nepali dishes will add some character to this place. Until then I'll take a break. Good luck. read more

I chose Saffron on a delivery app mainly because of the high reviews. I have to say that, while pretty good, Saffron isn't knock out great! It's hard to comment on the service considering I never sat down in the restaurant, so I'll just talk about the food. I ordered the chicken tikka masala, samosas, naan, and chana masala (for lunch the next day). The samosas were banging. I felt like this meal was on the right track! I looked in my bag and wondered whether or not they had forgotten to pack an extra rice since I ordered two main dishes. Whatever, I can make the rice last for both dishes. I found the naan to be underwhelming. It was a little rubbery and tough. There wasn't much to the taste. The tikka masala had a nice creaminess to it, but some of the pieces of chicken were dry. That didn't stop me from eating the whole thing, but it took away from it. I can't comment on the chana masala yet, but I'm sure it'll taste pretty good. And that's how I feel about Saffron: it's pretty good. read more

One of the best Nepali Indian fusion I have ever tried. I had calamari as a starter and shared the entree -saffron goat curry with my wife. Besides being one of the best taste, the price was just right. A restaurant with a fusion that caters probably all of our taste. I would say it's a MUST try when you are in Austin. Can't wait to try it again. Also do try Darjeeling green tea crime brûlée for a complete dinner set. read more

Saffron - Austin - Yummy Samosas that were perfectly made. - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Amazing food and excellent service! I highly recommend giving this great place a try if you haven't yet!

We really loved this place when we went with friends (who had been there before) for dinner last night before a comedy show. Our server--who is also the owner (maybe?)--helped guide us through the menu. He was really friendly and patient with us, and we appreciated his recommendations. We started with the Bombay Brussels and the Gobi Manchurian (cauliflower). Both were amazing, and we mean A-FREAKIN-MAZING: best apps we've ever had at an Indianesque restaurant. For dinner, we got the goat curry, vegetable momos, malai kofta, mattar paneer, rosemary cheese naan and saffron naan. Everything was incredible except for the paneer, which was meh and watery. To be fair, the owner wasn't a big fan either but our friend insisted on getting it anyway. There are three reasons why we wouldn't give it five stars: 1) The goat curry had way more bones/fat than actual meat 2) The paneer (see above) 3) The saffron naan was a bit strange and too sweet. Overall, though, this place was a true gem to find in northwest Austin and we'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. The restaurant is super quiet (no music), which makes conversation pleasant with dinnermates. FYI: BYOB, but no worries, there's a liquor store a few doors down. read more

We walked here to check out the new restaurant in the neighborhood, and it was well worth it! It has been tough finding food Indian restaurants South of 183, so this was a refreshing surprise. The service was on point and the food was superb. Our waitress suggested Lamb Rogan Josh and we also got the Saag Lamb. The meat was tender and went well with the garlic naan. We finished out our meal with their Darjeeing Green Tea Crème Brulee. It was a different taste but really, really good. read more

Saffron - Austin - Lunch plate! - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is the best Indian restaurant in town. Delicious lunch buffet and dinner entrees. I would eat here every day if I could.

This was our second time at Saffron . And it did not disappoint us . It's one of the best Indian restaurants in Austin . We love there goat curry , which is just like home and also enjoy the momo. Anubhab was an exceptional host and recommended us a few dish which our guest loved ! Will be back soon. read more

Having lived in Nepal and India for 2 decades, I wanted authentic Nepali dishes for a New Year's eve gathering at my home when a Nepali family came to visit. I ordered over the phone and asked that it be delivered between 6 and 6:15 PM on New Year's Eve. All arrived as ordered, very warm and delicious within the time frame. Everyone enjoyed the food and we continued to eat it all week as I ordered too much but it really was well done and something I will do again. read more

Very good! Very authentic. If you're white, ask for mild not medium. I mean they ARE authentic. If you want to be stubborn, then order a mango lassi. read more

I am not a fan of leaving negative reviews, but found this one necessary. I went there 45 mins before closing and when we walked in they looked like they weren't too happy we stopped by, but when seated the waiter was nice and cheerful. The vindaloo was amazing and the chicken dish we ordered was half raw. I'm pretty sick and hope I get better from the raw chicken since I have things to do and work to do. The raw chicken also smelled fishy. When I told our waiter he just said sorry and was about to walk away and I said "I can't eat this" so he decided to not charge us for that dish and took it away. It was annoying that they closed a little early and were all hanging around close to the table making us feel uncomfortable and like we needed to go. Never going back... The two stars are because the vindaloo was awesome and because this was prob more like a bad day. Maybe the rest of their food is awesome with better service and with more caution to making sure to give fully cooked food to people. read more

Good dinner! All items tasted good and excellent service. Thanks to Yelp APP, got 10% discount. Saffron Nan and Jajapeno nan were both new innovations and tasted great. Vegetarian momos were good too. Menu is small but covered many new dishes. Want to come back again. read more

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We were just going to be in Austin 2 nites and this is one of the places we'd planned to eat. We stopped in on our first nite, and started out with the gobi manchurian and when they brought it to me I'd have sworn they brought me the wrong app. It was so good! I didn't think cauliflower could be this good. Perfectly spiced and perfectly prepared For my main, I had the lamb vindaloo and it has got to be as good as the best vindaloo I've ever had. And I've had a lot of vindaloo. Our meal was so good that we blew off our plans to eat elsewhere the next nite and came back here for nite #2. If we ever get back to Austin, we'll definitely be back. YUM! read more

Saffron - Austin - Gobi manchurian - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Wow! LOVED THIS PLACE! Naan - Perfect! Chewy with charred bubbles. Main Dishes - Absolutely divine with rich mouth filing spices. I ordered the Goat Curry. The menu did mention it was "bone-in." I can attest to this being an adventure in eating as you dodge bits of bone and cartilage and other unsavory bits. As long as you are aware of this and willing to eat crunchy gristly things or pick around them, this is an excellent meal. The lamb was so succulent, tender and falling off the bone. The layering of spices was complex and rich. I couldn't have asked for a more satisfying meal. I know I know, if you are lovin' the place with CAPS than why only 4 stars? The missing star is because the air from the kitchen is not sufficiently separated from the dining space. There was smoky haze from the kitchen in the dining space when we walked in, and husband noted that the clothes that he had worn into Saffron smelled of Indian food two days after we had visited. If cooking air could be contained in the kitchen, then this place would get all 5 stars. read more

Yummy Indian food and even better hosts...the Matter Paneer and Jalapeno Naan stole the show!

I was blown away. The reviews are valid! This place rocks. Brussel sprout appetizer was amazing - dinner supreme- the iced tea was excellent- creme brulee magnificent! read more

Saffron - Austin - Interesting interior....FABULOUS restaurant - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love that Saffron has moved into the neighborhood! This is a great addition! *Atmosphere - 5 stars - it's a little more modern/high end then some of my favorite Indian places (Asiana in south austin) *Service - 5 stars *Food - 4.75 stars - I loved almost everything we ordered except for the black dahl, which is my favorite. We've had it twice and both times, the lentil flavor tastes burned to me. This might be a particular style, but I'm not loving it. If they had different dahl, this would be 5 stars! PS - try to the rosemary stuffed naan if you're a carb fiend like me! Delicious! *Pricing - 3 stars - I think it's a little expensive relative to the portions you get. Overall, wonderful addition to the neighborhood with a great service team! read more

I love this place so much! Terrific food. Nicely spiced. Friendly staff. Great portion size. And did I mention the yummy food? The Gobi cauliflower is the bomb! I don't know what they put in that but it's like crack!! Must have... Seriously, if you live near here go to Saffron. Food is dynamite. read more

This suburban restaurant serves both Indian and Nepalese food. The Nepalese part of the menu offers an interesting mix of South Asian and East Asian flavors. Lychee lassi - Pretty good. This is quite a sweet drink that tastes like canned lychee juice (which isn't a bad thing). Lychee and yogurt don't complement each other as well as mango and yogurt, though; I would order a mango lassi next time. Gobi manchurian - Good. This was the best dish I tried. Breaded cauliflower was covered in a generous amount of sweet, sour, and spicy sauce. Although a vegetarian dish, the cauliflower tasted surprisingly meaty. Chilly chicken - Ok. This was very similar to Gobi manchurian, but with chicken instead of cauliflower. It reminded me of Americanized Chinese sweet and sour chicken with a bit of a kick. Chicken momo - Ok. The curry dipping sauce was interesting, but the filling lacked complexity of flavor. The dumplings came out very juicy and hot, though. Service was very attentive and friendly. read more