Saffron & Rose is a small ice cream parlor set in Westwood area -a bustling place commonly known as L.A.'s Little Tehran. The shop is quite straightforward without any fancy design on its furniture or walls. However, given to the long queues of children and adults that reach the front door, this Iranian sweet treat is surely worth the wait.
Saffron & Rose is named after the parlor's signature ice cream, Saffron and Rose that mashes up Saffron petal scent and pistachios. The texture of each scoop is dense and creamy -a typical Persian ice cream with the stretchy texture it lends from salep - Asian-root flour derived from wild Orchid.
The options of ice cream flavors are plentiful that consumers often find it confusing yet exciting when pointing one for their cone. One of the visitors' review admits the many unique flavors by saying "(It is) different from the usual (ice cream) shops."
It's not a new thing in the U.S scene to smell and taste the Asian flavors, but nothing is quite like this one. Saffron & Rose Ice Cream is a legacy left by Fred Papen's late grandpa, Haji Ali Kashani-Rafye - an Iranian immigrant who moved to America in 1974. Before this Middle Eastern, cold dessert hit the city and nationwide, Kashany-Rafye had to move the locations to find the right establishment for the ice cream parlor. It finally led to this enclave space in the middle of Tehrangeles.
Describing the shop's signature treat, Papen began with a short history of his grandfather, who had been working for 40 years with the secret recipes. On Saffron ice cream's yellow color, Papen said that it has bitter and sweet tastes. Then, pointing at the rose ice cream, Papen continued explaining how it is made using rose water and khameh cream - which makes Persian ice cream very authentic. He then added that both soul-soothing desserts are the best sellers.
Having different textures, flavors, and tastes; Papen is confident that the Persian brand he carries can stand apart from Italian Gelatos and American-style ice creams.
