About us
There used to be a group called French Fries to Foie Gras and I always wish I had the chance to attend one of their meetings - but alas they are no more. So here goes...This is a group for anyone interested in far out food - all skill and palate levels are welcome! We started so we could meet folks who have an appreciation for the absurd, the sublime and the simple pleasures which can be found in almost any type of meal. For starters, we'll plan to meet once a month in small groups at different restaurants (suggestions welcome!) so that we may socialize and share stories. Looking forward to food adventures with you!
Upcoming events
1
- $2.00
Neighborhood Gems: Authentic Indian Dishes at Pink Saffron
Pink Saffron, 1201 S. Joyce Street, Arlington, VA, USOur NEIGHBORHOOD GEMS series features emblematic meals from around the world. This series shines a light on local restaurants and is designed to bring together inquisitive foodies and dishes that are unique and oh so worth a trip on roads less traveled!
Join us for authentic Indain dishes at Pink Saffron!
From Northern Virginia Magazine
In his native India, Shashank Chatrapati grew up near a bakery. But his favorite treat sounds more like something out of his adopted home of Virginia: biscuits. "They were cooked in a wooden oven," Chatrapati recalls of the lightly sweet bread.
As a chef with 15 years of experience, he and co-founder Ankush Kumar opened Pink Saffron in Westpost at National Landing in November 2025. When they did, Chatrapati tried the biscuit recipe he remembered, complete with nutty filling, but baked it in the restaurant's tandoor. The result is a heat blistered, oily delight that's a cousin to naan, but with a trademark twist.
The goal at Pink Saffron is to serve cuisine that would play well in India. Spice levels are slightly higher than most area Indian restaurants, and dishes are mostly of the variety that diners won't find elsewhere in the United States.
Chatrapati mentions Bengali dab chingari - a helping of tiger prawns cooked inside a coconut - as a favorite. Inside the tandoor, the fresh young coconut combines with mustard paste, creating a seafood stew.
But event those who order familiar classics like butter chicken and biryani will be greeted with new flavors. "On our menu, it's called romesco butter chicken because of the high-quality tomatoes,"explains Chatrapati. He adds high-grade cashews and blends them with the signature Pink Saffron mix of the eponymous stamen and rosewater.
"When you eat out butter chicken, it will give you this different taste from any other butter chicken you get anywhere else," says Chatrapati.
Even the dessert menu includes several options diners won't likley see without a trip to India. The double ka meetha is a delight for fans of bread pudding; it's simultaneously comforting and novel. Descended from the royal cuisine of Indian Muslim rulers, the sweet features crispy ghee-fried bread in a floral condensed milk mixture called rabdi - which also serves as a base for black gulab jamun - in a startingly pretty treat.
Whatever diners choose to order at the new restaurant, they can bet that saffron, rose and freshly ground spices will make it taste like nothing else!
Check out the menu here
Separate checks will be arranged in advance. All diners will settle their own tabs.
We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join and help us support local businesses. In the event our group incurs a fee for no-shows / late cancellations, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we will continue to limit the group size. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends.
** WAITLIST: Meetup does not allow waitlists for paid events. If this event fills and you would like to be added to the waitlist, please send a note to the host through the Meetup app. **
In the future, we will vary the days of the week and the types of restaurants to keep events interesting.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO GO WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. Feel free to make suggestions for future meet locations.
** The small non-refundable registration fee helps us share the cost associated with the Meet-Up platform ($360/yr) and reduces the likelihood of no-shows, allowing us to better plan our events and accommodate all participants. Meetup charges $0.51 and Paypal charges $0.53 on the $2 registration fee. Thanks in advance for your understanding!**
If you are unable to join us in April, we hope you'll stay interested and join us for a meal in the future. Looking forward to catching up with you for a delightful dinner at Pink Saffron!
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