Peetuk, Mumbai – Carrying on the Kolkata Biryani legacy

Kolkata Biryani is often a matter of immense discussion among us Bengalis. Discussions and arguments over who serves the best one is often a common topic among food experts during their addas and social platforms. I have, however, found most of the restaurant varieties in Mumbai to be either heavily spiced or way too oily to my taste.

Last Saturday we tried out this fairly new takeaway in Mumbai called Peetuk (play of words to mean…a glutton..How Apt!). To begin with, I was quite happy to see the Mutton Biryani (Rs. 200) which was not as oily as the ones I had tried before, the aroma of the biryani was subtle and quite hunger inducing. There were enough pieces of mutton, eggs and potatoes to serve two in one portion and the mutton was cooked well enough to fall apart on touch. Truly one of the better ones I have tried in Mumbai so far.

We had also asked for a portion of Fish Fry(Rs.80) which had two decent sized pieces. The fish was coated in a nice crunchy breading which was light and non-oily. The second starter was a Bengali version of the North Indian Boti Kebab (Rs.160),Peetuk has added sautéed onions and added some masalas which gave the dish a uniqueness which we really enjoyed with some pre-dinner drinks.

The Biryani was complemented by the ever so popular Kosha Mutton (Rs. 240) and Chicken Chaap (Rs. 150). The kosha was a bit of a disappointment as the mutton was a bit tough and the gravy was a bit under-seasoned but the chaap was quite delicious. It was curiously like the Rezala preparation albeit much thicker. The richness of this dish was in true Mughlai tradition and I wished I had ordered some paratha or luchi to go with it.

The one thing that made me happy during the meal was that none of the dishes were overly oily or spicy. The inherent fats of both kosha and chaap dishes were sufficiently controlled and complemented the dishes without overpowering them.

Peetuk seems to be taking steps in the right direction in providing good Bengali meals at an affordable price with a fairly good quality. I hope the quality stays consistent over the months to come and it will surely prove to be a worthy competitor to many, this side of Mumbai.

Ratings (Out of 5)

Food: 3.5 | Ambience: N/A| Service: 3.5| Overall: 3.5

Meal for Two without Alcohol: Rs.800 plus taxes| Alcohol: No | Credit Card: Yes|

Address: General Arun Kumar Vaidya Marg, Shivaji Nagar, Gokuldham, Goregaon East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400063

Telephone: 077382 36027

Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgment and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review; however readers may exercise their own discretion.