Pukka takes Indian food to the next level
St. Clair West restaurant has been a favourite of ‘those in the know’ since 2013
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Pukka is frequently described as a culinary gem that offers superb food, service and value in restaurant reviews. Little wonder that the popular Toronto restaurant, now in its 12th year of operation, has a massively high rate of regular customers — almost 50 per cent — who return again and again. Neither is it surprising that many of them look forward to seeing their favourite dishes on the menu at their next visit. “A lot of our menu has stayed the same to please our regular clients,” says Pukka’s co-owner Harsh Chawla. Although this makes it a little more difficult to add new dishes, “it’s a nice problem to have,” notes co-owner and certified sommelier Derek Valleau, who operates a curated wine program to accompany the wide variety of dishes from all regions of India.
Recipes such as the Kashmiri pumpkin curry or the Punjabi chicken curry originated in the country’s north, for example. Meanwhile, the Hyderabadi lamb is from a little further south and the particularly popular Chicken 65, developed in south India, is a universal favourite among Pukka customers, as are many of the restaurant’s other personalized signature dishes. “Our inspiration was to take Indian food to the next level and present it in such a way that it is more mainstream,” says Valleau, as he describes the restaurant’s focus on Indian culinary traditions combined with western influences in attentive service and hospitality. “We offer the ability to explore great beverage options, as well as having great food. We also pay careful attention to detail in terms of the restaurant’s comfort level and service.” As far as possible, ingredients are locally sourced and all spices are roasted and ground in-house, Chawla points out, adding that the restaurant’s success and the style of its refined Indian food is a collective team effort. “We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve had the same executive chef and most of the team in the kitchen from the beginning.”
A similar level of loyalty applies to front-of-house staff, he says, adding that there were no transition issues after the pandemic, because all staff stayed in place during the COVID years. In addition to its very busy restaurant, Pukka also operates a catering division, servicing both corporate and private clients wishing to run special events at home. For more information on Pukka, located at 778 St. Clair Ave. W., visit www.pukka.ca.
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Pukka.
