Central by Saffron Valley Is A Passport to Indian Cuisine

Central by Saffron Valley takes you on a culinary journey through India. The train-themed restaurant pays homage to India’s historic railways that carried millions of passengers across the country to major cities like Delhi, Bombay, Mumbai and Calcutta. But unlike railway passengers, diners can enjoy regional specialties without ever leaving their table.

 It’s a different look for the building that used to house Stanza Italian Bistro (454 E. 300 South), which closed in January 2025. And it’s a new venture for owner Lavanya Mahate, founder of the local Saffron Valley restaurants and Biscotts Bakery & Cafe brands.

  Soon after Stanza closed, Mahate was approached about leasing the building, “But the timing wasn’t right,” she said. In July, she took a second look.

  “We took over in July, and launched in September,” she said of the quick turnaround. “The bones of the building were already there.”

  She liked the idea of using a train motif to divide the large dining room. The tables are numbered as railroad platforms, and there’s even a “lost luggage” area.   

 Mahate grew up and traveled throughout India, moving to the USA at age 23. So she has a feel for authenticity in the menu, which features dishes from different regions of India. If you’re familiar with any of Mahate’s other Saffron Valley restaurants, you’ll recognize the cuisine, with its layers of spices and flavor.

  “People in Utah love the classics,” she noted. “Why fix something that’s not broken?”

  So it’s no surprise that Old Delhi Butter Chicken is the top-seller. Tender morsels of chicken are swimming in a creamy golden garam masala sauce.

   Another popular entrée is Lamb Shank Rogan Josh, a dish that originated in Kashmir. Lamb is seared, then simmered in a brown-red curry sauce flavored with browned shards of onion, garlic, saffron, Kashmiri chili and other spices. The lamb is fall-off-the-bone tender.

 The Railway Veg cutlets are golden breaded rounds filled with a beet/potato/veggie mixture, served with a mint chutney. Other starters include Cauliflower Manchurian (crispy cauliflower tossed in fiery Indo-Chinese garlic-chili sauce), Chicken 65 (crispy South Indian chicken with curry leaves and chiles), Tandoori Cheese Broccoli (charred broccoli in spiced yogurt, finished with a cheesy drizzle), and Samosa Chaat (crisp samosas draped in yogurt and chutney).

  Biryani, fragrant rice slow-steamed in sealed pots with other ingredients such as Hyderabadi Chicken (charred chicken, masala rice, fried onions and saffron) or a vegetarian Saffron Fruit & Nut Biryani, with raisins and cashews.

  You can also order “Trackside Bowls,” inspired by train station cafes. Some include a Chicken Coconut Curry Bowl, Chettinad Lamb Curry Bowl, and Chili Paneer Hakka Noodles (vegetarian).

  If you’re not sure what to order, the lunch buffet offers a chance to sample a variety of homestyle curries, tandoori dishes, fresh naan and seasonal specials. It’s $19.99 per person Tuesday-Friday (11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.); and $24.99 per person on Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

  “The buffet isn’t a tradition in India, but it’s very popular in the U.S.,” Mahate said. “Our chefs put a lot of originality into the food, and people really like it. It offers a chance to try different varieties and see what you like.”

 Pillowy, charred naan comes in several varieties — classic, garlic, garlic cheese, chili cheese, and sweet nutty. Can’t decide? Get a “bread flight” with a choice of three different breads for sharing.

The signature dessert is Gulab Jamun Cheesecake. It’s a classic cheesecake studded with Gulab Jamun — deep-fried dough balls soaked in flavored sugar syrup.

  Steaming chai is part of the romance of the old Indian railways. Central serves it slow-brewed and spice-kissed, in a brass tea kettle with traditional glassware.  

  Central represents some of Mahate’s own journey of success in the restaurant industry, and especially in acquainting Utahns with the cuisines of India.

At age 23, she entered into an arranged marriage and moved with her husband to the United States in 2001. After completing two master’s degrees and eventually working as the program director for the Women’s Business Center of Utah, she wanted to start her own business.

  Since food was one of her passions, she created a line of Indian spice blends. She realized that it was daunting for Indian food fans to cook their favorites at home, due to the complex combinations of spices used in each dish.

  She began experimenting — roasting and grinding spices, and combining them to make specific dishes. “So home cooks wouldn’t have to get five different types of whole spices, but just buy one spice blend and prepare a nice dish,” she said.

In 2010, she sold her spices at the Downtown Farmers Market. On the heels of that success, in 2011 she opened her first Saffron Valley restaurant in South Jordan, near the Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple and the India Cultural Center of Utah. With a fast casual format, her goal was to elevate the “hole-in-the-wall” image of Indian restaurants to a warm, welcoming ambiance with consistently good, classic favorites.

In 2013, she opened the second Saffron Valley in downtown Salt Lake, in the former Pagoda building at 26 “E” Street. Opened in 1946 by Fujio and Dora Iwasaki, The Pagoda was a landmark restaurant for over 65 years before closing. 

“I felt a sense of pride and responsibility about moving into that space,” she said.

 She opened a third Saffron Valley in Sugar House in 2017, a fourth in 2019 in Riverton, as well as a location on the U of U campus.  Meanwhile, she opened a series of bakery/cafes, known as Biscotts Bakery and Café. And she founded the RISE Culinary Institute in 2018, a nonprofit that gives refugees free culinary training and restaurant internships.

 “I know firsthand that there is a great labor shortage in our industry,” she said. “It’s hard to get skilled cooks and chefs. And it’s a way to help these women, to give them the training to build a career for themselves.”

  NOTE: The success of RISE will be a Chewandchat.com story for another day. Stay tuned.

  Before opening Central, Mahate was in the process of downsizing her restaurant holdings.

  “In 2020, I was going 100 miles per hour. Despite all the awards and recognitions, I felt a misalignment—a void—so I really had to take a deep look at myself,” she wrote in a 2023 Utah Business article. “After 22 years in my arranged marriage, I decided to divorce, which has been a journey of self-discovery and spirituality.”

   Through the divorce, her husband now owns the Saffron Valley restaurants in Riverton, the Avenues, and U of U. They are being re-branded as Cilantree, she said.

  “Sometimes it’s good to downsize, so that you are doing things more intentionally,” she said. “I’ve found that success comes from inner peace and fulfillment.”

 And that philosophy will likely Central at Saffron Valley chugging toward future destinations for fans of Indian food.

More information: https://centralbysaffronvalley.com/

Address: 454 E. 300 South