Peacock

Not fancy place but food was really good and services was terrific. I had lunch with a friend and we both had the chicken Burani and it was terrific!

Good food, cute location, nice but odd service. I ordered paneer butter masala, and my husband had butter chicken – so more or less the same dish in meat and vegetarian varieties. We also shared an order of parathas.
All of the food was really good, but we never quite figured out what we were supposed to do for ourselves, and what the server was supposed to do. I think the way things work here is that you order at the counter, get your own everything (silverware, plates, napkins, and water), then someone will bring out your food, and you go back to the counter and pay when you’re done. The staff will bus your table. We didn’t realize that we were supposed to get our own silverware, so I went back for it after our food arrived, and we didn’t know that we needed to get plates – in fact, we didn’t see the plates, since they’re on a shelf under the water pitchers. Finally the staff took pity on our attempts to eat out of the very full bowls that the curry and rice were served in, and directed us to the plates.
This process could easily be streamlined. For instance, put the plates in plain view next to the napkins and silverware, and move the coffee condiments to go with the other drink items.
Ultimately, I think it’s a common problem with fast-​casual restaurants; it’s hard to figure out what tasks the server does and what the customer should do. At fast food joints, we know that we do everything ourselves, and at sit-​down restaurants, we know that the staff does everything for us. But at places like this that fall somewhere in the middle, we sit at the table and wonder whether we’re supposed to clear away our empty plates, or sometimes even where the plates are in the first place.

Been here a bunch more times since my last review, both to eat and to take out. I did not run into any problems with the service after the first time, it has always been a pleasant experience.
I have found the food to be hit or miss, the sambhar is sometimes ok and sometimes delicious.
Their dosas and idlis are always good.
Some of my favorites here are:
Chicken Chettinadu
Andra chicken curry
Gongura mutton
Gobi manchurian
Mango lassi
I did not care about the chicken appetizers like chicken manchurian, chili chicken, chicken masakali. I also did not find their biriyanis tastier than the other restaurants around here but that might be personal preference.
I plan to repeatedly come back to this restaurant for their meat dishes, I have a weakness for south indian meat dishes.

I visited Peacock for the first time yesterday evening and I was more than blown away! I arrived a little after 5 pm as they were preparing for the evening orders. The service was exceptional and the Andhra Chicken I ordered was PERFECTION! I have been in search of good/​authentic Indian food in the Cary/​Morrisville area and Peacock is now at the top of my list.

We ate here a few months ago. My husband tried biryani which was okay. It was not so flavorful as other biryanis we tried in the triangle area. I tried the Naan and palak paneer which was good. The palak gravy was creamy and smooth, the naan was soft. But the portions are less and the food is expensive compared to other indian restaurants.
We wouldn’t mind if the food is delicious it just didn’t seem worth it.

Good in food but very less people staff. Poor service. The person he is on phone and i am waiting in line and he doesn’t respond or he knew that i am in line waiting for my order.

Delicious food every time, fast service, clean simple décor. Already eaten there about a dozen times… the food is so good I am sure we will be back again and again! The dosas are excellent!

Probably one of the best Indian restaurants in the area. Their menu is limited, and ambience is no frills and fuss free, but their food is very carefully balanced, and very authentic. Would suggest you try out their mutton dishes or their biryani.

Reading Unilocal review about Indian restaurants in the Triangle is like listening to Italians rate Italian food. People complain that if it doesn’t taste like their mum’s food, then it’s crap. In the Triangle, there are lots of good Indian restaurants and lots of Indians. So there are a lot of really great Indian food restaurants, some which get unjustly criticized. So learn what is different so you can adjust your expectations accordingly.
First thing to note about Peacock is how casual it is – that is, once you find this weirdly located restaurant, which is tucked in a pocket of Carpenter Village. This is counter-​service food. It’s casual and basic with 16 tables inside plus a few more outside. The menu borrows from different regions, but leans toward Chettinad-​style. What the heck does that mean?
Indian food is different across this big, wonderfully diverse country. Chettinad style is from Tamil Nadu, in far Southern India. This is the Cajun-​style of India. Tamil Nadu is Flavorland of India, with is quite bold and spicy (ginger spicy, not chilli pepper spicy). So expect even the humble biryani to bring the hurts-​so-​good heat. But this isn’t heat for heat’s sake. Their spices are layered and wonderfully sophisticated — albeit in a smash-​mouth style. Ultimately, you have to ask if it tastes good. Yes. Yes it does.
I inquired — and yes, the cooks were from Tamil Nadu. They are young looking gentlemen, but I watched one of them excitedly share his mom’s chutney with his coworkers. They clearly seemed to still enjoy food and love exploring/​expiramenting with it. Good for them.
Second, this is the real deal. Indians everywhere — counter, kitchen, and seats. Bollywood videos on a great sound system. And «Thumsup Cola» in the fridge. C’mon Indians, you know what I’m talking about, ammiright? Beers selection is limited. But the NY-​state Kingfisher is fine.
Now look at the menu. Sure, there are a few Northern Indian specials, but there are lots of Southern goodies. Think rice, spicy, and bold rather than smoky, oily, naans-​based of the north. This means a broad selection of dosas, wonderful rice dishes, and some of the better mutton dishes in the area.
If you come for lunch, the main curries are not available. But they will have a daal of the day, 3 veg and 3 non-​veg mains, served up on a tray with a papadum, a healthy scoop of basmati, 2 chapatis, and a dessert. That is a big meal for around $ 8 – 9.
Powerfully spiced, nicely presented, and hearty. The dishes are average to slightly larger than average — and since each main comes with a small dish of basmati — you won’t go hungry. Dishes generally run $ 9 – 11, so you’ll average low teens per person. And since it’s counter service, you save on tip.
If you’re an Indian cuisine veteran, you’ll note that the young chefs take some liberties veering from the classic recipes of some dishes. For example, their Palak Panneer — cheese curd blocks in pureed spinach — is in a creamy style that is *not* typical. So don’t cry that you think it’s horrible because it ain’t gramma’s recipe. Still yummy, just more decadent. And their daal makhani, when available, has kidneys beans liberally added. Their butter chicken is good but weirdly skimpy on meat. But I’ll still drink the delicious ghee-​goodness gravy, thank you.
A few things I can recommend are their veg samosas. I dare you to find a better one within a three hour drive. Their rogan josh is fantastic young goat blasted into delicous little bone bits with yummy chewy bits and gravy attached. Yellow daals are delicious and well balanced.
Their menu is not huge and that’s fine because they are good at what they do. Service is counter service, so not much to say there. But Harish at the front desk is polite, patient, and pleasant. Cooking is paced leisurely as everything is cooked to order. So don’t come expecting fast food. This is perfect family night Southern Indian food. Cheap. Bold. Tasty. No nonsense. If you’re going for date night, may I recommend Betel about a quarter mile away.

OMG! Our food was so good! They describe themselves as fresh cooked _​comfort_​Indian food and I’d say they nailed it! We got the chicken dum biryani, the dal mahkani and an order of Malabar Parata. The biryani had the perfect mix of spices and we had medium spicy and it was just right. I love the taste of cardamom and coriander! The dal mahkani was so unbelievably creamy and buttery and delicious! Then dipping the Malabar Parata in it was the best part. Malabar Parata is a buttery flaky bread mention in another post! My husband ordered a carrot dessert that was also excellent. I couldn’t eat much of it because I was full!
I can’t wait to come back!
We highly recommend this place!

My mouth is watering as I think back on my meal at Peacock. It is tricky to find — GPS takes you to a music school. I thought I was lost but the Peacock van was parked out front, and I found the entrance in a annex. This is an order at the counter place. The menu doesn’t provide any descriptions so if you are new to Indian food, just let them know your likes and they can suggest items for you. My friend is vegetarian and we decided to share several dishes. We had:
Vegetable Dum Biryani
Idly
Medhu Vada
Dal of the Day
Spring Dosa
Subji Milan
They have an area with sofas and TV airing Indian movies, and another section with tables (all in one open room). Her 4 year old twins were with us so I lost track of time. It didn’t seem like a long wait before our food was served to us, piping hot. Each dish came out as it was ready and by the end there was barly room for my water glass — we over ordered! We requested our dished regular spicy and they were packed with flavor and heat. I LOVED everything. The Vegetable Dum Biryani was the best I’ve ever had (I need to come back and try their meat versions), the Subji Milan was a mixture of spinach and assorted vegetables, still slightly crispy (in a good way), and the dosa was a hit with everyone — 4 year olds included. We had SO much left over — I took 2 more helpings and my friend had at least 3 in her take away container. servings are very generous. You can order online for pickup so that’s nice — but again there are no descriptions. Honestly I think you could just randomly choose dishes and be pleased. It’s a 30 minute drive from my home but is worth the drive indeed.

So peacock has taken the route of the typical Indian restaurant in Morrisville …
Placed an order for palak paneer, gobi manuchurian, Malabar parathas
The gobi manuchurian had a lot of salt (completely inedible)
the Palak Paneer was horrible… they had put in dollops of heavy cream, so instead of it being green it was a shade off white… what a put off…
They screwed up on the order of the Malabar parathas and had given me phulkas instead.
I ended up driving back to collecting the parathas …
What a waste .will stick with the tried and tested places I go to… I would AVOID them as the PLAGUE

We have ordered a catering service for food for about 60 people and had no idea about the quantity to be ordered. Peacock management helped us through it and had a perfect estimation of the quantity. Besides, the food was outstanding and no way comparable to any other food joints in the RTP area. Definitely a big thumbs up for the Biryani and service for catering.

Food and service were outstanding! Chicken DUM Biriyani was incredible. Pretty busy, even towards three in the afternoon. Note: We love this place, but it’s self-​serve, and very casual. Looks like they have a thriving take out business as well (and a food-​truck which we will now look for!)

As I drove into a neighborhood, past the community pool, and through a daycare center parking lot, I cursed my GPS. But soon discovered, she didn’t steer me wrong. Peacock is hidden in an odd annex, made visible by their brightly branded catering van out front.
Friends picked this place for dinner, and I confess, when I learned they are a California franchise, I wasn’t too excited to try it. But I have to admit my experience completely flipped my opinion. We were among the first dinner customers to arrive. The place is counter service. But the staff warmly welcomed us and took the time to explain several of the dishes. If I had a gripe, it would be that the dishes are not described on the menu. Luckily, I am obsessed with food, and had been researching the menu online long before my arrival. With the help of Google, I quickly discerned the differences between Gongura and Pulusu, Idly and Methu Wada.
What’s most exciting about Peacock is that they have a South Indian focus, which seems to still be a rarity in the Triangle. The dosa menu is broad, and I decided to capitalize on the opportunity and order the Spring Dosa in addition to my Indian restaurant measuring stick — Chicken Saag. The dosa is a huge helping, stuffed with seasoned potato and fresh veg, with a couple of dipping accompaniments. The saag was excellent and the chicken tender, neither dry nor grisly (as some local Indian restaurants fall victim to). And they were eager to make sure the spice level was on point for me (I must have told them extra-​spicy at least three times); they didn’t disappoint me! I was incredibly stuffed after eating this amount of food; it would have easily been enough for three meals for most.
Although you order at the counter, and pick up your utensils and water yourself, the food is brought directly to your table. And the atmosphere has more ambiance than you’d expect; brick interior, big arched windows, Bollywood music videos playing, patio out back. By the time we left, the place was nearly full for dinner, and almost entirely of Indian patrons. Friendly, tasty, filling, and not another cookie-​cutter menu. Count me as a fan!

This was my first time there and the food was very good. We especially loved the Chicken Masakkali, which I think is their own creation. It was boneless chicken pieces fried with spices and masala — nicely hot and spicy and very tender. The Gobi Manchurian, fried cauliflower florets, was also delicious. We had the Chicken Biriyani and a goat dish, and I would have both again, but I’d also like to try some of the other biriyani dishes.
The restaurant is slightly off the beaten path, but worth checking out. I went at lunch time when it wasn’t too busy or noisy, and it was perfect for meeting some people and some nice conversation.

Had the opportunity to sample a variety of menu items. The food is very flavorful and has a nice heat. I would eat there more often if it were closer to me.
It’s good for groups because you can share or eat all of it by yourself~!
My favorite was the chicken dishes and the goat curry. Please try the flaky thin bread. It’s delicious~

New place, and by the looks of it they still had teething troubles. Some customers were waiting a while for their food.
However our orders were taken quickly and arrived in a timely manner. Prices are quite competitive too. Tried the chicken 65, andhra chicken curry and the dum Biriyani. The first two were great! Dun Biriyani was okay — could be better.

My family has been to peacock several times now, sampling various entrees.
Overall, the flavor of the food has been delicious, which is the only reason this review gets more than 1 star. The quality of the food, and the service however, have been worse. The butter chicken for example, has a delicious rich sauce. However, the amount of chicken is very small, and the quality of the chicken is very low (lots of bones and gristle that is inedible). The chicken 65 is good.
Last night we used the app for the first time. We ordered two meals, both mild instead of medium, as we weren’t feeling up to as much spice. They both came out medium. We ordered two orders of parata, we received one. Worse, I arrived on-​time to pick up the food, and it «was ready, except the bread,» when we then didn’t get all of our order of.
A week ago, we ordered, and were told it would take 20 minutes for the food to be ready by the gentleman on the phone. It took 40 minutes.
Good flavors, poor quality of chicken, and incorrect orders.
*UPDATED — 3/​13*
Well, we went again, and to control variables, we ordered the same food. This time, the butter chicken had an excellent amount of chicken. Same great sauce, but what we would expect for chicken food as well. The quality of the chicken was much higher as well. The food was also prepared correctly and on-​time. If it were consistently this level, would give 4 stars. Also — We used the app for ordering — Very fast and easy to use!
*UPDATED — 5/​29*
After a couple more visits, the quality of the chicken has definitely improved, and no longer suffering through so many chunks of gristle and inedible material. Upgrade to 4 stars.

This is not good Indian food. the spice level is okay everything is greasy.
The Cauliflower appetizer was very oily the Dal was greasy which it is not supposed to be.
the goat curry was almost acceptable the quantity of meat in it was very little
the fish dish was not good the samosas were average
I would not eat there again.
I lived in India for a year and I’m very familiar with the food.