After the restaurant space at the Wyndham Garden in Fitchburg sat empty for a few years, Zafferano Ristorante filled it to serve Indian and Italian fare.
It’s a unique combination, to say the least, with several dishes fusing the two cuisine types. For example, the pizzas include a samosa pizza ($18) and two types of paneer pizza ($19 each).
The butter chicken pizza ($21) was a good choice. It came with plenty of the Delhi-style chicken, which tasted like tandoori chicken, and it sat atop a crunchy thin crust.
For the record, there are a few non-fusion pizzas, including the very satisfying classic pepperoni pizza ($19). It had the right amount of sauce and chew to the crust, which wasn’t as thin as the butter chicken pizza.
Beyond the pizzas, fusion items extend to several entrees. When you take the first bite of the lamb lasagna ($23), you can instantly tell it’s made with lamb instead of beef. I appreciated the uniqueness of this dish, though I thought it could have used slightly more cheese. Next time, I’ll try the masala chicken parmesan ($22).
I was happy to see grilled braised octopus ($19) on the menu, and it did not disappoint. The diced octopus was gently seasoned and mixed well with the arugula, cucumber, red onions and tomatoes.
For the less adventurous, try the biryani. The chicken added to the vijayawada biryani ($19) dish tasted like General Tso’s, and the rice was less spiced than others I’ve had. The accompanying yogurt sauce was excellent.
A couple of items that I don’t see on the menu anymore are the lamb vindaloo, which was a delicious and spicy dish full of tender lamb, and the pistachio-crusted halibut ($32), which was flaky, perfectly cooked and topped with a yummy mango sauce.
While Zafferano Ristorante also has a full bar and specialty cocktail menu, I have yet to be impressed with how any of my drinks have been crafted, like none of the bartenders have ever made a drink in their lives. Hopefully, the place will fix that, as the bar side brings back a lot of nostalgia from its previous incarnation.
Zafferano Ristorante serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
