Saffron Spot

1, 2, 3, 4… I DECLARE AN… ICE CREAM CRAWL!!!
DAY 4, STOP 1
BACKSTORY: (Repeated on all ice cream crawl reviews. If you’ve read it once, no need to read it 20+ times :-p)
Thanks to social media and their ways to entice peeps, like me, to get out and about town, I recently succumbed to their power of suggestion and checked out ice cream parlors in the LA area. The goal? The goal was not to find the best ice cream parlor, nor the worst, and to see what was out there, instead the goal was to have a frame of reference when peeps or fellow Unilocalers ask, suggest, or check into places.
Last stop from official list of LA Ice Cream Crawl, with «armed with an appetite and not afraid to use it»!!!
PARKING:
Small lot (Little India Village Food Court)
Street parking
INTERIOR:
Vibrantly painted walls and bright, colorful accent shades to match the glowing colors of their fresh juices, shaved ice (gola), and ice cream.
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
The young ladies were helpful and patient as cohort and I sampled quite a few flavors.
ORDERED:
A split scoop of gulkand [pink] and kanu dash [rum raisin] for cohort, split scoop of chikoo and sitaphal for me. Chikoo had a sweet, malty flavor, sitaphal was fragrant and sweet, as well, and resembles and tastes like custard.
IN A SCOOP:
Parking was acceptable. We found street parking about half a block away. As fellow Unilocalers note, this is not your typical ice cream parlor, so if you’re looking for Thrifty’s or Baskin Robbins flavors, you won’t find them here. This stop is for those who aren’t afraid to try something out of the ordinary for this country, or those who enjoy the sweet creamy flavors of ice cream made with ingredients of India. I’m not afraid to try something out of the ordinary, I’m glad this spot was on my list.
This concludes LA ice cream crawl day four from the official list. Over 33 miles driven to visit one ice cream spot, from the official list.
STATS:
21 Ice Cream Parlors
180 Miles driven
4 days
#LAICECREAMCRAWL

Saffron Spot took me back to my first visit to Mumbai the summer of 2012. It was Monsoon season, and nothing could prepare me for that weather. Even though I lived most of my life in Miami, Mumbai doesn’t hold back; I had never experienced such intense heat and humidity. What else to do with unbearable heat than to eat kulfi? Ah, the memories.
Anyhow, right after dinner my husband and I were walking around the Little India Village area. We randomly ran into the shop and reached Saffron Spot right as they were about to close. The lady behind the counter was very kind and patient regardless, and she let us try all the different flavors of ice cream. I fell madly in love with the Rose flavor and my husband had the Mango. The Rose flavor is so soft, sweet, and creamy! I absolutely recommend it. My husband’s Mango ice cream was also delicious and authentic.
They have many different unique flavors, and they all taste amazing. I’m very picky about my ice cream since I don’t like very artificial flavors, so this little place got mad props from me. Next time, I can’t wait to come back and try the falooda!

Saffron Spot is located in the Indian Village. I have been wanting to make a trip out here to try out this ice cream spot for a while now and I finally made it yesterday. The ice cream is delicious, it leaves a very light aromatic taste in your mouth. I loved it. I had the Saffron flavor and tried the Guava. I’ll definitely come back to try the falooda!

The woman who I believe is the manager is SUPER nice. She gave us a discount because we had to wait in line for our ice cream for a little while extra!
In terms of the dessert, all of my group just got ice cream. The ice cream is pretty much the best option for people eating solo. I wanted to get a falooda but no one wanted to share with me :(.
However, the ice cream was on point so I’m not upset too much. I got coconut ice cream. It had actual coconut in it which is my favorite. The saffron ice cream was also really good. They have a lot of unique flavors specific to Indian /​Pakistani areas.
If I’m in this area, I would come back from the ice cream and falooda hopefully!

Small ice cream place located inside a plaza with other eateries and businesses.
I came by here with my husband a little over a week ago on a Saturday to meet with another couple of friends for some chilly treats. We arrived a little after 1:15 pm and it was not busy. We tried a few flavors of their ice cream and ended up getting:
2 scoops ($ 4.75) of Saffron and Gulkand. Saffron had a nice flavor that reminded me of the spice. The Gulkand was also really nice, as it had a great rose flavor. Really liked both of these flavors and would get them again.
2 scoops ($ 4.75) of Vanilla and Tutti Frutti (what my friends chose). The vanilla was pretty standard but the Tutti Frutti was a real interesting flavor. It tasted like a candy flavored ice cream with bits of jelly like pieces in it. I thought it was good.
Waffle Cone ($ 0.50)
Sugar Cane Juice ($ 4)-. My husband got the small size. I am not a fan of sugar cane and thought this was too sweet for me but he really liked it.
— — — — — — — —
(Total= $ 14… don’t forget the check in deal where you get 10% off your total purchase. Unfortunately my husband forgot to check in and so he paid full price for his drink).
My friend ordered Kulfi ($ 3.50) just to try. It came in frozen slices/​pieces and tasted like ice cream. The flavor was creamy and not too sweet. It was good, but seems like a portion for one person or for a small portion for 2 to share.
Seating is pretty limited inside here. There is also a few small tables and chairs outside as well.
No free WiFi here. They take credit cards but there is a $ 0.50 charge for all credit card and debit card transactions. There are no restrooms available either.

Saffron Spot is an Indian style ice-​cream place in the Little India Village food court that also hosts Kabab Corner, Tangy Tomato and some more AYCE Indian buffet places in the heart of the Pioneer strip in Artesia. I’ve passed by Saffron Spot many times when visiting the AYCE buffets here but have not stopped by as I don’t have the capacity for ice-​cream after stuffing myself silly at the AYCE buffet. A couple of days ago I finally bought a Groupon for Saffron Spot and landed here with a friend to try it out.
The ice-​cream flavors at Saffron Spot as definitely unique. I’m not sure if I’ve seen these flavors anywhere else here and even back home you will have to look for these in specialty ice-​cream parlors. Some of the unique flavors on offer include sitaphal (sugar-​apple), chikoo (sapodilla), lychee, jackfruit, rose, tuti-​fruti, rajbhog, gulkand (rose petals) and saffron. Flavors keep rotating so you may not find all these available at the same time but definitely try to get one of these unique flavors when visiting Saffron Spot.
During my visit I got the ice-​cream falooda ($ 4.99) which has four mini scoops of ice-​cream on a bed of vermicelli noodles and soaked tukmaria (basic seeds) doused in rose syrup. My friend got a scoop of saffron and rajbhog each ($ 4.75). The serving size is decent. It’s not too small nor is it overflowing out of the cup. I was expecting the ice-​cream to taste weak, icy and grainy like you get back home but here it is nice and creamy. The texture is a bit gloopy but its way short of the pounded texture of Turkish ice-​cream. Flavors are strong but don’t expect the intense flavors that you would get at Saffron and Rose the Iranian ice-​cream place in Westwood. Overall I liked the ice-​cream taste and texture.
The ice-​cream falooda on the other hand was way too sweet. The rose syrup doused on the noodles and tukmaria completely overpowers the ice-​cream taste and all that you get in each bit is this deep sweet taste. Normally I would have not minded this at all but I guess I’ve started appreciating less sweet deserts so I ended up not liking this very much. I don’t think I will get it again, but if you are visiting you should try it at-​least once. Price-​wise I thought it was pretty reasonable. I guess I will have to keep some space for the ice-​cream at Saffron Spot when visiting AYCE buffets at Little Indian Village as I liked what I got and plan to keep coming back periodically.

YUMMY Selection of Exotic Ice Creams! Perfect for this Cali heat! I had pistachio & mango & tutti fruitti! So good

If and when you’re in the mood for some Indian desserts, Saffron Spot is there to satisfy your cravings. Thing is they took things a step further and transformed those favorite Indian dessert flavors into ice cream.
Of course you’ll find the traditional sweets you can find at the other shops along Pioneer, but I’d say give the ice cream a try instead. We ordered an ice cream falooda with rose, pistachio, kulfi, and a cardamom flavored concoction. There wasn’t a problem with the flavors, but the consistency of the ice cream could have been better. It quickly melted and became a goopy mixture of flavors.
If you’re a fan of Indian desserts, this is a good place to try them as a cold and creamy dessert.

Why did I just recently discover this ice-​cream spot?!
I am a huge lover of rose flavored things and this place nails the spot!
I would definitely recommend if you are in the area and would like to try some yummy exotic flavors that you can’t find at your boring Baskin Robbins.
Will be back :)

My first time having Indian ice cream! My friend wanted to try this spot so we stopped by after lunch. Located in a small plaza, this shop is easy to find– and the interior is super colorful!
I’ve never had kulfi before, so my first time left a really good impression. It’s thicker in consistency and so delicious! I would definitely recommend it, not exactly sure what flavor it is but it’s so damn good! It is more expensive to make, so we were only able to have one scoop in our bowl of four.
We ordered a flood which consists of four mini scoops on a bed of noodles with rose syrup and takamaria. We got the kulfi, lychee, rose, and one other flavor. The pistachio was not that good, so I would stay away from that. Other than that, the flavors were so yummy!
Great first experience trying Indian ice cream– kulfi is bomb! Definitely will be back to grab some more of that as well as the other flavors.

Totally unique to me flavors that are possibly familiar if not derigeur to bombayites. I was taken with the Gulkand (Rose petal) ice cream that has bits of Rose petal to add to the creamy texture. The Rose flavor of Gulkand is much stronger than the Rose ice cream made with Rose water. The saffron silk is the ice cream that brings all the boys to the hood. My nieces were happy with the less strange flavors of tutti fruitti and mango.

One of the most refreshing places there is on a day like today. That saffron ice cream is really great — it’s made with rosewater and pistachio nuts, giving it a bit of a floral crunch that you don’t find very often. Loved it.

Saffron, Rose, Butterscotch, Lychee
No, not just stripper names. But, names of the exotic flavors of kulfi (Indian ice cream) available at Saffron Spot in Artesia.
On a scorching 92 degree SoCal day, I needed some icy sweetness to cool off my hot body. The day before, it was milk tea boba. For today, a few scoops of kulfi sounded like just what was needed.
Located inside the Little India Village Food Court, Saffron Spot offers up the aforementioned kulfi & other sugary offerings, such as fresh pressed sugarcane juice, gola (shaved ice), lassi (probiotic yogurt drink) & falooda (scoops of kulfi on a bed of noodles w/​rose syrup & basil seeds).
On this occasion, my mind was on kulfi & kulfi was on my mind.
After sampling the various flavors, I decided upon a scoop of sitaphal (custard apple) & chikoo.
Cold, smooth & rich, the scoops of kulfi hit the spot. Mellow in flavor, I relished the density of each delicious spoonful. I would’ve preferred more assertive tastes of each respective ingredient profile. However, on this hot day, I had frosty goosebumps & an icy shiver while enjoying my treats. So, mission accomplished, Saffron Spot!
Service was good. I was allowed to sample whatever my heart desired. A few tables & stool seating on hand to enjoy your treat. Parking is inside the Little India Village Food Court. Several signs inform visitors that parking is for customers only & violators will have their car towed. So, don’t park here if you’re going to explore Little India by traversing Pioneer Blvd.
Pro-​tip — Check in for 10 percent off!
Saffron Spot, your authentic flavors & all natural ingredients have made me a fan. I was cool as a cucumber after happily stuffing my face with the sitaphal & chikoo kulfi. I’m anticipating coming back whenever the heat returns and I’m in need of some frozen fun.
Highly recommend!
NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM

I’ve had this place bookmarked for the longest time. I finally got to try this place when I met up with some friends for lunch. We decided to walk off some of our AYCE Indian food we just had and stuff ourselves back in with some ice cream.
This place is unique if you compare it to your typical American ice cream shops. They don’t have your usual flavors. Here, you’ll find flavors such as saffron, lychee, sitaphal, mango, paan, rajbhong, etc. You’ll also find shaved ice, shakes, juices, lassies, and snacks. I’ll have to come back to try other things since all I had was the ice cream.
I was able to sample several flavors. I finally settled on saffron and sitaphal. To me they were light flavors that tasted good. It didn’t taste like lotion or perfume which some people like. I’d come back here again if in the area.
The customer service was good and friendly. No complaints.
*review #31/​365 for 2015

As i walked in i was greeted immediately. It was my first time here, so i asked the girl what she recommended and she gave me samples. The icecream was light and creamy and depending what you get, its not that sweet. Prices is reasonable. I had a little trouble finding this place because it was hiding inside a center, lots of parking. I will be a returning customer.

All the accolades and raves about the unique and delicious creations, and I had to go and order a simple scoop of cardamom cream ice cream.
The flavor of the cardamom was understated but present, and I enjoyed it much like I would enjoy a cup of tea, even though the texture was a little gluey. My dad’s mawa had this fakey butterscotch flavor I hate in caramel, so I didn’t have more than a bite.
The price, $ 2.99, wasn’t bad comparatively — I’ve been spending too much time lately in places who think $ 4 – 5 is an acceptable price to charge for 1 scoop of ice cream — ridiculous.

Closed on Mondays!!! Tutti Frutti! Ice cream!
Located in Little India in Artesia. I had absolutely no idea about this place. I was in the area and Unilocaled ice cream of course duh, what else would the DQ Unilocal hello lol.
Just a few flavors I saw, they had more:
~ Saffron
~ Pistachio
~ Tutti Frutti (my favorite)
~ Mango
~ Rose
~ Lychee
~ Jackfruit
~ Coconut
They had more flavors but obviously it’s not your typical American ice cream shop. The flavors are pretty unique so you really have to have the palate to be able to try these unique exotic flavors. I’m so used to the typical flavors like chocolate, yeah I’m so boring lol. Some flavors I did not care for but I’m super picky and I do not have the palate to try new things. Shame on me. But luckily the owner is very generous with samples. He allowed me to try whatever I wanted until I found flavors I liked. The Tutti Frutti was awesomely delish!
The place is tiny but OMG it is CUTE with all the colors, such a cutesy little place. This ice cream shop is definitely worth the time, the ice cream is pretty creamy and if you like Saffron, they don’t have it too many places. Prices are a bit steep though around $ 3 for a scoop. I think I got two scoops for $ 5. But again, this is not your typical ice cream shop. Unsure where else you can get all these unique flavors anywhere else, maybe in L.A. And this is their own homemade ice cream so you’re definitely paying for quality ice cream. Not your average B&R ice cream. There’s a lot of parking and they do sell drinks and other stuff for convenience but everyone comes here mainly for ice cream. Kenzie was happy! :D
Thanks for reading!
~*kenzie*~

The worker was friendly and offered us samples and suggestions. My friend and I each had about 3 samples before deciding what we wanted. I got saffron flavor in a waffle cone while my friend got rose flavor in a sugar cone. Both were delicious! The texture is different from regular soft ice cream, not as creamy but just right. They offer mostly unique flavors in addition to 2 – 3 normal flavors such as pistachio. Both came out to be about $ 7. I want to come back and try the falooda next time.

Found this place on Unilocal and Unilocal didnt let us down. My husband and I came here to get a kulfi (frozen indian desert).The kulfi was amazing, I got a mango kulfi, which was good. I would maybe suggest them to get better cutlery and plates.
My husband got a coffee on the other hand. Oh boy! was he impressed with the coffee, it was heavenly. Just exactly like the one you would get at back home (like India home). My husband is lactose intolerant as most Indians are to american milk, but the milk that this store used was just perfect. A place which definitely gives you a feel of being back in India.

Saffron Spot hits the sweet spot!
There aren’t many saffron ice creams around but why not find it in Little India?
I recommend starting off with their Ice Cream Falooda. $ 4.99 four mini ice cream scoops of your choice on a bed of noodles with rose syrup and takmaria (basil seeds). My ice cream choices were: rose, mawa, rajbhag, and sitaphai. Out of the four my tongue recognizes the rose flavor because of the smooth flower flavor. The others tasted milky and sweet.
Second choice was the Kulfi Falooda with Saffron flavor $ 4.99. Kulfi served on a bed of noodles with rose syrup and takmaria. It’s the same ingredients like the ice cream but they boil the mixture. So that it makes it smoother than the ice cream. This was my favorite choice because this tasted better.
Both Falooda’s had that sweet touch to it because it was topped with condense milk.
Small joint, bar seating. You sit on these round high tool colored seats. The workers here were friendly and the guy who served us the ice creams, had no problem answering our questions about whats in those unheard of flavors.
Located in Little India’s plaza and recognized in the local Press Telegram.