Pukka: Modern Indian Cuisine On St. Clair West

I love Indian food. The complex spices and rich flavours really hit the spot, especially on a gloomy day. So I was really excited when I received an invite to dine at one of Toronto’s newest Indian restaurants alongside the city’s renowned food bloggers. Given our insatiable appetites, we’ll trek pretty much anywhere that promises to tantalize our taste buds, so we all headed to St. Clair West earlier this week to check out Pukka. I knew I was in for a unique experience as soon as I was greeted at the door with an Indian Caesar…

The curry spices in the caesar took it to a whole new level, but it was the infusion of ginger that really knocked my socks off. With drink in hand, I walked over to a plate of Cold Tandoori Smoked Eggplant Tartare that caught my eye…

I chowed down a few pieces of the tasty vegetarian dish before settling in at our table. With cameras, notepads and phones in hand we all waited in anticipation to see what dish would be first out of the kitchen. But before our culinary journey began, one of the city’s finest sommeliers, Peter Boyd, came by to introduce Pukka’s wine program to us. The wines he selected for the evening – ’12 St. Michel Côtes du Rhône and ’12 Nals Margreid Pinot Bianco – really complemented the complex flavours in the dishes we sampled. I was in heaven. Finally, an Indian restaurant in Toronto that not only serves up great food, but has a wine list that will impress most aficionados.

Back to the food: Pukka served up the best baby kale salad I’ve ever had! The spiced cashew dressing was unbelievably creamy (like a creaser) without any of the dairy. And the dates and lotus chips added great flavour and texture to the dish. The chicken 65 (south indian fried chicken and chili-tamarind sauce) was also drool-worthy. I definitely recommend both starters.

Next up was the vegetable string chaat (puffed rice, sprouts, chutney and sweet yogurt). Although it was a beautiful dish, I wasn’t a big fan of the flavor profile.

What I did love was the pan-seared pickerel. The fish was flaky, buttery and spiced perfectly. The coconut and curry leaf sauce was beautifully balanced and complemented the fish. The beef short ribs were also tasty: tender and topped with a black cumin, garlic and ginger sauce that was spot on.

The goat cheese stuffed lamb kebabs were a big hit at the table. I really enjoyed the pomegranate reduction they were served with (side note: if you like pomegranates, this resto is for you. The superfood is a common ingredient in many of their dishes).

We then moved on to the spinach and mushroom stuffed paneer. I loved the bright, flavourful pistachio korma sauce…

Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw our server gently lower a dish that needs no introduction. With it’s unmistakable colour, a plate of butter chicken glistened in the middle of our table as we all quickly snapped our photos before digging in. Although the chicken was incredibly moist, I felt the sauce lacked a certain spice and layer of complexity.

Last, but certainly not least I devoured the best dessert I’ve ever had at an Indian restaurant: Eton Mess (rosewater meringues, mango, pomegranate and sweet lassi cream). I usually find Indian desserts too sweet for my palate, but this dish was perfectly balanced: the chewiness of the meringue, the sweetness of the mango, acidity of the pomegranate and creaminess of the sweet lassi came together in this delightful and refreshing dessert.

If you’re looking for a refreshing take on Indian cuisine, I highly recommend checking out Pukka. With their colourful, aromatic dishes and incredible wine list, the west end restaurant is already a neighbourhood favourite.

Special thanks to Pukka for hosting me. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own.