A Taste of Pakistan

As one of the only true Pakistani restaurants in the Penh, owner and chef Majid Wazir takes pride in his country’s cuisine, making Saffron a dining experience instead of just a meal. Words by Craig Gerard.

For two years Majid Wazir has been serving up Pakistani and Middle Eastern food at Saffron Restaurant located on the ever-popular Golden Mile. While the quality of the food has remained constant, the street has developed into a bustling expat corridor. Majid feels the difference. “We’re busier and busier all the time,” he explains. Saffron more than holds its own with other ‘Indian’ restaurants in the area.

Unlike restaurants with a novel-like menu offering hundreds of items, Majid keeps the menu at Saffron simple. While some of the items change quarterly, every item on the menu has its own distinct flavour and style. Most of the spices are Pakistani, all imported from Singapore. The result is a subtle cuisine.

“Saffron serves food you would find in a Pakistani home,” says Majid. While some dishes are 100 percent Pakistani, others borrow from Southeast Asia. For example, the rice comes with a hint of lemongrass, just enough to remind you that this is Phnom Penh and not Lahore. He also uses Kampot Pepper in most of the dishes. Since all the meals come with both bread and rice – what Majid calls “the meal deal” – the entrees are quite good value.

But what really sets Saffron apart from other South Asian restaurants is the wine selection. As the former owner of Monsoon Wine Bar on Street 104, Majid has his finger on the vino-pulse of the city. He took both wine and play list from Monsoon when creating Saffron, giving the restaurant a hip, lounge feel, with trip-hop house beats bouncing off sparsely decorated walls. However, don’t expect fancy wine bar prices. With glasses of red or white at US$3.50 and no bottle over US$34, the Australian and Chilean wines in particular offer great value. Also, if you order five entrees, you will get a bottle of wine for free. If wine isn’t your bag, Saffron also has a full bar, with a few specialty cocktails including the scrumptious raspberry mojito.

The restaurant does claim to be both Pakistani and Middle Eastern, though the only Mediterranean dishes on the menu are hummus and tzatziki. Majid admits the strength of the restaurant is in the Pakistani cuisine. His favourite dish is also the most popular menu item – the chicken massala (US$6.00) is thick with tomatoes and strong curry aromas. His samosas are also customer favourites. “The crust melts in your mouth,” he says.

According to Majid, it takes years to master the various Pakistani spices and the slow cooking method. However, Majid is happy to share some of his knowledge by offering cooking classes for four to seven people (US$25 per person). The courses are usually held on Sunday afternoons, and start with a trip to the spice shop and local market to learn where you can source ingredients. The group chooses from dishes on the Saffron menu to prepare in the kitchen at the restaurant. After the lesson is over, each participant can invite a friend to come to Saffron and the entire extended group enjoys the food they have prepared for free.

For Majid, Phnom Penh is a place of unlimited opportunity. He beams when he talks about Cambodia, a place he has lived for the last six years. “This is the best place in the world,” he says. “I would very much like to become a citizen here.” For now, the city can be content knowing it has a place to order some fine Pakistani cuisine.

Saffron, 17B Street 282, Tel: 012 247 832.