It had been ages since I'd eaten at an Indian buffet and was excited to try out Peacock, near my work, with my dad. Though it was satisfying, we couldn't help but notice that chicken was the only meat served at the buffet. Granted, it came in many forms, but all the meat was chicken nevertheless.
Perhaps the best of the chicken dishes--and one not always found at an Indian buffet--was chicken dum biryani. It was presented as a mountain of rice in a warming tin and you really had to dig around to find any meat. Once you did, though, you'd be rewarded. The chicken was oh-so-tender and juicy.
The other chicken dishes, such as tandoori and tikka masala were delicious but weren't differentiators. The chicken masakalli reminded me a lot of popcorn chicken. It's not for everyone but I can see it being a hit for some.
Peacock did a lot of things right. The service was good. Fresh naan was delivered to the table. They even had a mixed fruit kesari, (a pudding with chopped almonds, grapes, pineapple and other fruit mixed in), which drew me back for seconds. And, certainly, business was booming. And yet, although the experience at Peacock met expectations, at the same time it wasn't special. Moreover, the $10 per head at Peacock puts them in a very competitive Indian buffet market in Santa Clara. I'll return because of Peacock's proximity to work, but the next time I feel like busting my gut at an Indian buffet, I'll feel more compelled to try a spot that trumps Peacock on variety such as Mezbaan Bar and Indian Cuisine or Madhuban Indian Cuisine (where the pudding is killer), both nearby.
Peacock Indian Cuisine
2798 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95051
(408) 247-9264
www.peacockindianrestaurants.com
