When you are ordering food online from vendors that are not near you, the delivery charge can be prohibitive if your bill is too low for it to be waived. For example, I've paid a $14 charge for a $10 dish. Another restaurant asked for $20 on top of a minimum food bill of $40.

So it was a nice surprise to find that Zaffron Kitchen in East Coast Road charges a flat fee of $5 for islandwide delivery. I have always enjoyed the food at the North Indian restaurant, which was in the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list from 2016 to 2019.

I chose dishes that would travel well and could be easily reheated in the microwave or toaster oven. But I was in luck because they arrived 15 minutes before the appointed time and everything was nice and hot. The complimentary pappadum could not have been crispier if I had dined at the restaurant.

The Zaffron Chicken Biryani ($18.15) is a dum version, with the meat embedded in the pilaf rice and cooked till tender. I would have preferred a bottom-quarter cut with leg and thigh instead of a top-quarter, but as it was a rather small bird, the breast was thankfully not very thick or dry.

The dish came with a shorba, a spicy gravy with a refreshing touch of acidity that complemented the rice perfectly. There was raita too, a slightly sweet yogurt sauce that worked wonders in cooling down the chilli burn. The mint sauce, however, I had no use for because it did not go with the chicken. I suspect it was included by default with any biryani order and was meant for the lamb version instead.

As I had to place a minimum order of $50, I also got the Fish Masala ($18.70) because its thick gravy would be a good match with the biryani. It was spicy too, with enough heat for me to break into a sweat but not to burn my mouth. The boneless pieces of white fish were smooth and tender, and slices of capsicum provided variety to the flavours.

I also ordered the Tandoori Malai Chicken Tikka ($17.60) and it was faultless. The tender pieces of meat were well-marinated and moist, with some char at the edges to add a hint of smokiness. And thigh meat - which I prefer - was used. Squeeze a few drops of the included slice of lime if you like the astringency.

Here is a tip: Heat leftover chicken tikka in the microwave together with any remaining biryani. The moisture from the rice will keep the meat from drying out.

Zaffron Kitchen

135 East Coast Road
To order: Go to zaffronkitchen.oddle.me/en_SG for islandwide delivery. Minimum order of $50.
Delivery charge: $5 islandwide
4 stars out of 5