Butter Chicken
The dish everyone orders to test the place. It passes, comfortably.
Indian · Hillcrest
Pukka
Indian cooking on St Clair West with none of the buffet-era baggage
IndianHillcrest, Toronto$$$Details being confirmed
The review
Pukka has spent over a decade arguing that Indian food in Toronto deserves the same room, service and wine list as anything French, and it has mostly won the argument.
The butter chicken is what everyone orders first and it holds up — balanced rather than sweet. The Goan fish curry is the one to order second: sour, hot, coconut-heavy, and completely different in character. Kale pakora as a starter will spoil every other pakora for you permanently.
Honest notes: it costs more than the neighbourhood is used to, the room is small enough that booking matters, and it is closed on Mondays. The vegetarian dishes are not a side category here.
What to order
Goan Fish Curry
Sour, hot, coconut-rich. The order for anyone who thinks they know the menu.
Kale Pakora
The starter that ruins every other pakora for you.
What works
- Regional range rather than a single generic menu
- Wine pairing is thought through, not decorative
- Vegetarian dishes are the equal of the meat
What doesn’t
- Pricier than the neighbourhood expects
- Small room, books out
- Closed Mondays
Verdict
Kale pakora, Goan fish curry, and the butter chicken to settle the argument.