Petek

Ian

Any views on Petek's? Just been there for the first time - it has always been full when I walked past so thought I should give it a go. Now I think the reason it is full is that the service is so terrible so nobody gets to leave. Not bringing menus, no drinks for 20 minutes, bringing food but not bringing knives and forks etc.

Food was fine - did I just get a bad night?

David

Bad night as far as I'm concerned. I've always had a good time there. Most I know like it too. However Andy will join you on the negative opinion, Ian. Suppose you can't please all people all the time.

tosscat

Def bad night, was it last night?
We were in last night and it was fine for us, but we were in early (6 until about 8) and it was really busy from really early on, so they may have been flagging if you were later on.

dominic

Must have been a bad night - they are usually brilliant. Very friendly and great food. The vegetarian kebab, as card-carrying vegetarian Tosscat would I'm sure agree, is excellent.

andy

I can't be doing with cheap meat like that, dressed with a splodge of white stuff. the service was friendly and the falafels were nice though.

Ian

They weren't even clearing the tables. I'll give them another chance - I am a sucker for kebabs - but I will stay away from the strange red sauce my food was bathed in next time.

Emma

I love that place - they're so friendly and the food is amazing. I'm taking loads of friends tomorrow night as I've been raving about it for months. It must have been a bad night, I reckon.

Colette

I finally got round to trying Petek last night. It was ok, no better than that. The service wasn't great: a bit abrupt (no smiles at all), and they brought our mains before we'd finished our mezze starters. The food was ok, nothing more - HUGE portions, I'll give them that. I can't see it drawing me away from Jai Krishna though. It smells of damp quite badly in there too.

David

I think it divides the community does our Petek. Many love it, I do personally, but then plenty don't, Andy doesn't. I haven't tried Jai Krishna but Petek wins for me purely on not having that turgid carpet/chrome chair combo that stops me from getting past the front door.

flembo

I have always found Petek to be excellent. I've been there many times and only had a bad experience once, that was due to it being really busy. It's got a great vegetarian choice, the staff have always been very friendly, the food excellent.

It does get busy, so I tend to get there around 7.30ish before it gets really busy.

Disappointed about Mela. That was my favourite Indian in the area. It doesn't look like it's going to reopen.

andy

Hello Flembo! Welcome to the forum. When I've been to Petek, the service has been fine and it's been cheap. I just don't like the food.

matt

Another favourite Indian of mine, Parveen (Therberton Street, off Upper Street by the Green) has be relegated to upstairs at theikr location. French restaurant Montmatre has taken downstairs. I feel Parveen's days are numbered even after the manager's exclamation otherwise. Food is still as glorious as ever.

poxy

Is that the same Montmartre that used to be at the junction of Essex Road and Canonbury Road / New North Road c/w Gerard Depardieu's less photogenic brother as Maitre d'?

I hope so. That was my wife's favourite restaurant. I think I may take her out for a surprise this weekend.

Ian

What!!! The Parveen is excellent. Their North Indian Garlic Chilli Chicken is the finest curry in all of Islington.

poxy

It <b>is</b> the same Montmartre that used to be at the junction of Essex Road and Canonbury Road / New North Road c/w Gerard Depardieu's less photogenic brother as Maitre d'!

We went last night. It was fantastic. Same menu as before but extended. We had veal escalope with truffle sauce and bison medallions with a fiery green peppercorn sauce. Both sublime. The red wine by the glass was also excellent.

It was just like welcoming back an old, missed, friend.

jandb

We've always found the food in Petek's pretty good. The service can be a bit hit and miss - especially when it's busy - but generally we like it, and keep going back.

Sitting near the door can be a bit of an ordeal in the winter when every hat-and-scarf clad punter wanders in and leaves the door open behind them. The resulting arctic wind can turn a lamb kebab to ice to in seconds.

matt

It is the same Montmartre and the same Parveen, I hope there is room for both of them in that building for some time. Parveen's North Indian Chicken is great, but as a person who shys away from eating chicken any chance he can get, i go for a lamb dansak/pathia. Both also good, and less chickeny.