Saffron at Home

I’ve had paella in a variety of places around the world, including Barcelona Spain (and not just once, but at a couple of different restaurants).
I’ve had paella also in Ann Arbor cooked by two others for Spanish descent (a Spaniard and a Peruvian).
Saffron’s paella tops them all!!!
I was saddened that I didn’t get a chance to see them actually cook it as I was late to my own dinner party, but I was told they even pulled out the paper — yes, the newspaper, as you have to let the «paella read…».
The flavors were subtle and yet were not hidden or masked. Even weeks after eating it I can still get the sensation of the complexity of the dish. The seafood was not overdone — which can happen in many paella, as sometime a cook will throw those in way too early.
The paprika used was of high quality and not your typical flavorless paprika that you find at the local chain groceries. Paprika, just like chocolate is an intricate spice and can come in many flavors and nuances just as wine.
Pairing with wine must be correct: do not get this wrong; you need to get something that is not too overpowering. I’d probably avoid a Shiraz, probably even a cab, but definitely something more than a merlot. It’s tricky, very tricky.
In the end I ate 3 servings from our order of a dish for 6 – 8. I’ll definitely be going back, or that is, they’ll definitely be coming back!

A few years ago, we had a chef come to our home to prepare a meal and it was fabulous — the food was great, everyone had a good time, and it was good to be relieved of the cooking and cleaning so we could spend more time entertaining our guests. But it was expensive — something that really only makes sense when you’re hosting a party for many people.
Saffron takes the the Personal Chef idea one step further, making it less expensive and more fun to boot.
First, having a Paella party (or even a small romantic dinner) is pretty novel (unlike the previous reviewer, I haven’t heard of these types of businesses springing up around the country — maybe I’m out of touch), so you’re sure to win «coolness» points just for the concept alone.
Second, the food is about as authentic as you can get. One of the owners is a full-​blooded Spaniard who happens to know a thing or two about Spanish food in general, and Paella in particular. Oh, and Sangria too! Not only is it the real deal, but it’s delicious — they use only fresh seafood (if you want seafood, that is), the chicken and rice were perfectly seasoned and the Chorizo sausage was out of this world. They also brought over pitchers filled with fruit so we could add our own wine to make Sangria, too. Truthfully, I’d had Sangria at other places and never really cared for it, but this was really good. The secret, I’m told is to use cheap wine! Who knew?!?
They also brought over a nice dish of sausages, cheeses and other
Spanish appetizers, which was, as you’d expect, fantastic.
They can either cook the Paella in front of you, which is a little bit of a show and is a nice touch or, if you’re in a hurry, arrive with everything mostly prepared so you can be eating a short time after they arrive.
Lastly, the chefs will disappear once the food is served, rather than hover around you and your guests like some of the personal chef services we’ll use. Pack up the pans, pitchers and other items they left behind and they’ll pick them up from you afterward. We found Luis and Shana to be delightful company, though, so you may not want to them to leave right away.
The pricing was reasonable for what you get. It’s not cheap, but it is a good value. The servings are plentiful, the convenience factor is huge, and the experience is memorable (in a good way!).
All in all, this is a great group of folks, and they have a great product. As Luis told me, Spanish food is just as good as Italian food, but the Italians are better at marketing! Now, I’m Italian and I didn’t buy that at first, but after a meal from Saffron, you might just be convinced that’s true!