Swad, an all-vegetarian Indian restaurant and grocery, is located in a small, unassuming venue on Laurens Road, about a 15 minute drive from Furman. While the prices are low (around $5-10 for an entrée), the flavors are explosive and authentic.
When you enter Swad, you’ll immediately notice the bright and inviting décor. The restaurant is quite small (about 10 tables total), giving the restaurant a quaint mom-and-pop feel. The menu is diverse and customizable, with a variety of options for types of bread, rice, and sauces to accompany your meal.
Almost everything I tasted from the menu was bursting with bold and interesting flavors. I enjoyed the mixed vegetable pakoras for an appetizer, which are lightly-battered zucchini, squash, and eggplant. The pakoras would have been a bit bland without the delicious, sweet apple butter that accompanied them, but the entrées I tried more than made up for the pakoras in complexity and flavor.
The aloo gobi, a mixture of cauliflower and potatoes, was delicious and spicy, even when ordered mild. Each entrée was served with a choice of either basmati rice or naan, and the rice balanced perfectly with this piquant dish. The vegetables were flavored with onion, garlic, tomato, and a diverse combination of aromatic spices. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys spicier fare.
I also tried the tadka dal, a yellow lentil stew. This dish beautifully combined sweet, savory, and spicy flavors infused with a complex assortment of spices ranging from cinnamon to ginger. I look forward to having this dish again and would recommend it for anyone who enjoys intricate Indian flavors.
The puran poli, a sweet bread, was a light and warm dessert. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the bill for this seemingly extravagant feast: this delicious three-course dinner, which I shared with a friend, cost just a little more than $20.
Swad is an exciting, aromatic culinary experience for vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike. The food is comparable in tastiness to higher-priced Indian restaurants in Greenville yet much more affordable for college students’ budgets. The food was fresh and original, and I would recommend it to anyone with an open mind and a developed palate.
