07/29/08

The Best Indian Food in Boulder!!

by chelseapohl

We always choose to go to the Royal Peacock when we want good indian food. The atmosphere, beautiful paintings, the food, the drinks...It's all amazing!

Check it out for sure and get a mango lassie for the kiddos, my daughter loves them!

07/29/08

Best tasting Indian for I have had in Boulder

by JohannHousman

My family and I had shown up at around 6:30 on a Friday. There were a few customers scattered around the room. We ordered a wine, an absinthe and a soda. The Absinthe was the best quality that I have ever tasted, though I'm no expert having only had it 5 or 6 times before. We ordered 3 tapas. the Goan Vindaloo, Ghost Ka Salum and the Chicken Makani. Each plate was so delicious that we just chose to order all new dishes for the entrees, now confident in the food. The plates were quite small as someone mentioned, however...they were only 5 bucks each and fit the price wonderfully. It gave us a chance to sample the quality of the food and led us to get entrees for all of us instead of getting a couple of them and splitting them as we tend to do. We then ordered the Sind Ke Jaan, Kashmiri Rogan Josh, and the Chicken Shahi Korma. I read someone was disappointed with the rice, it must have been an off day, because our rice was perfect, yellow and subtly seasoned. The entrees that my wife and I received were delicious and wonderfully prepared and we shared our meals eagerly and found ourselves quite sated. Our daughter found her dish (the Korma) a bit complicated for her pallette as the fruit and nuts in the dish was very new to her so she only ate about half of it, and the other half was hastily consumed by me for lunch the following day. Indian food is so off or on in this town that I sometimes refer to it as food I don't really prefer, finding so few establishments that can do it right. As a chef myself, I tend to be critical at times. But this time, I could'nt tell enough people that night how wonderful the food at the Peacock is. I was pleasantly surprised and now know why they have been there as long as they have. While the prices are not exhorbent, its not fast food prices either. If you want a 30 dollar meal for three people somewhere with a drive thru would be a better idea. If you want great indian food worth every penny...i recommend the Royal Peacock.

• Pros: Food prepared precisely, delicious, and with flavours balanced
• Cons: they don't carry Mead

04/27/08

Best of Denver??? WestWord let the absinthe go to its head!

by cmontvil

I've never before felt compelled to post a negative citysearch review, but this place was just that special. Arriving on saturday night to a half-empty restaurant, we were told to wait at the bar for 15 minutes while they cleared off a two-top. Apparently they were expecting a full house, but the restaurant was completely empty by the time we left at 8pm. We tried ordering mixed drinks, but to no avail. The bartender, we learned, is the owner's son, and he comes and goes as he pleases.

Then there was the food, which finally arrived after a long delay. The rice was so undercooked that it was actually inedibly crunchy. We tried to order more rice, suggesting as graciously as possible that they cook it this time, but it never came. We made do with the mediocre naan.

Worse yet were the entrees. The "tapas" portions aren't just small plates, they're nanoscopic. Our saag paneer ($4) was a small layer of saag in a saucer with one piece of paneer, Sind ke jaan ($8) was inedibly salty. Goan vindaloo ($5) lacked substance, subtly, or kick. Total damage was $55 for six tapas, naan, and two glasses of cheap red. And, for the first time either of us could remember, we left a restaurant hungry. Avoid this place, you'd do better at almost any other Indian establishment in the front range.

• Pros: Garlic and onion naan wasn't bad.
• Cons: Service, quality of food, tapas portions.

03/13/08

This restaurant does one thing that no other restaurant I've tried in America does: it reminds me of home.

by Santoshc

My wife and I tend to order two very staple Indian dishes when we go out: Chicken Ticka Masala and Saag Panneer, but our waiter easily convinced us to add a third dish that night to our repertoire after giving an overwhelmingly brilliant description of that night's special: a Tandoori Roasted Top Loin of Ostrich served on a bed of caramelized onions (having lived in Europe and being Hindu, I'm quite used to eating ostrich in lou of beef).

Let me start by saying that the ostrich was cooked to a perfect medium rare and melted in my mouth like fine froi gras. With flavours of garlic, yoghurt and a light sweetness of apples, I only wish that this dish was a regular menu item and not a special.

The ticka masala was more spicy than I am used to getting at American based Indian restaurants, and that is a great thing. Too often, Indian restaurant in the States will dumb down the flavour of the food because they are either trying to appease a less sophisticated palette, or because they don't know what they are doing. I mentioned my appreciation of this fact to one of the owners, and he told me that he understood the mindset, but thinks that far too many Indian restaurant owners underestimate the American pallet, and that they'd been trying to cater to this idea for the last 24 years (yes, the Peacock has been there for 24 years).

Beyond the heat of the dish, the spices were complex and intricate, and truly give the "art" back to the phrase "culinary art." Like a fine wine, there was very obviously a bouquet, a start, a middle and a finish to the flavour. When I asked what combination of spices they used, the same owner told me that even he didn't know, but that it was anywhere between 40-50 different herbs and spices per dish.

I would love to write more, but I've reached the character limit! Go there!

• Pros: Amazing food, romantic atmosphere, great DJs on Friday nights
• Cons: Some nights they get *really* busy and service can lag, but it's worth it, also seems they are getting better

03/05/08

Better lunch buffets elsewhere, service is slow

by Rhialistic

I've been here for lunch several times because it is very close to work, but i just keep wishing it was better. The selection is not very wide, usually only a handful of dishes, not many of which are vegetarian. There is usually tandoori chicken, another couple of meat dishes, and some dal and chickpeas, maybe saag paneer, and that's about it. I almost always have to wait a while for bread, sometimes it doesn't even come until after i'm almost done with my plate of food. The servers are nice they're just slow to refill drinks and bring bread, which detracts from the meal. For $9.50 (i think) this place is not as good as many of the other buffets in town including Maharaja and Tandoori Grill.

I have to say that the dishes they do have are seasoned well, but the small selection and a lack fresh veggies hamper the buffet's impression. Also, some of the meat dishes are a bit greasy.

I so wish this place were better, but it just doesn't compare (and I have been to India, too). I still eat here once an a while because of the location but it's average at best.

• Pros: good lunch location, not too busy usually
• Cons: poor selection on buffet, slow service

02/17/08

Like being back in India

by ireemama

I spent 4 weeks in Northern India, and it's hard to find good Indian food after that, but this place was like I was back in India! The food and atmosphere are amazing. It's by far the best Indian food I've had outside of India, and definitely rivals a lot of the food I had when I was travelling in India. The first time I went was in a large group, and it was perfect for a small party. We asked for an assortment of their best foods, and we were given one of the most amazing meals I've had. The lamb appetizer was delicious, as was everything else. The Malai Kofta is my favorite and a great vegetarian meal. I recommend it to everyone that is a fan of Indian food!

• Pros: everything is amazing
• Cons: small restaurant with limited seating, so there could be a wait, but it's worth it

02/15/08

Best Indian Food in Colorado.

by frienshipallaround

The best Indian food I've eating outside of India (and I lived in London for awhile). I always order Saag Paneer, and I always leave totally satisfied. Sometimes they have live music, and that is the best experience you could have at a restaurant in Boulder. The only gripe I have is that they used to provide traditional, sit on pillows and eat from a low table (as apposed to the European setting) which really added to the authenticity. I don't understand why they did away with that. If you was authentic Indian food, this is the place to go. Hands down.

10/30/06

Wonderful, authentic food and serene, romantic atmosphere

by flashback101

I've become a regular diner at The Royal Peacock. As an aficionado of Northern Indian cuisine, I was delighted to find this wonderful restaurant. Everything on the menu is so authentic and absolutely delicious. The ambiance is both lovely and soothing, with soft chants playing in the background. The atmosphere is radiant, with beautiful original works of Indian art and sculpture everywhere you look. The service is excellent. There's a full bar and a talented bartender who is happy to whip you up anything you desire. Whether you have a taste for Indian cuisine, or are just looking for a new experience in Boulder dining, I strongly recommend The Royal Peaock.

Is this Boulder or New Delhi? North Indian cuisine that delights.

by Contributor

In Short
Statues of dancing Shiva, traditional music and a divinely spicy aroma greet visitors to this cozy, strip-mall Indian restaurant. The menu features lots of tandoor oven cooking and sauces that are rich, but not overwhelming. The bajai masala (spiced onion fritters mixed in yogurt and chutneys) are fruity, spicy and memorable. There's also large and juicy murgh tikka (tandoori chicken) and the diverse Rajput thali (vegetarian mixed platter).

06/07/06

The most money I have ever paid for bad curry!!

by matcooke

This was the most money I have ever paid for bad curry in my life.

The Chicken Biryani was full of bones and cartilage.

The staff was friendly until we paid $105.00 on a $100.00 tab, for dinner for 3 men.

After we left the restaurant the waiter chased us down in the parking lot and demanded we tip him more.

I gave him $5.00 just to shut him up.

I will never go back there and strongly recommend you stay away too.

By far the worst curry night out I have ever had!

A very expensive lesson, the Royal Peacock is a disaster, do not ever go there and if you do, then bring way more cash than you think you will need.

Leave a big tip or they will chase after you in the parking lot and hound you until you pay more.

• Pros: Loads of free parking, I wonder why??
• Cons: Items served not the same as the description on th