Swagath Gourmet: 25 Years & Still the Indian Vegetarian Leader, Home News Tribune, Mar. 23

Congratulations to the team of SWAGATH GOURMET, which means "Welcome" in Sandscript, for presenting a traditional, Southern Indian Vegetarian Menu, that according to my research, rises above all others. Created in 1988, by the Iyengar family, who are from Mysore, Karnataka, India, the cozy dining rooms, are the perfect place for an intimate celebration, or special event. The open kitchen, with the chefs, who have been here for two decades, reveal India’s vibrant traditions & add to the harmony of fine dining. The cooking, is primarily traditional Southern style, with some Punjabi & Gujarti items, shining through. Using their own secret spices, owners Murali Iyengar, who was a marine engineer & is now thought of, as an innovator, in the food world & Sesha Iyengar, whose vision, to educate the world, to the health benefits & tastes of Vegetarian cuisine, has come true. Along with their family members Padma & Suguna, their creative kitchen revealed to us, the finer points of Vegetarian dining & the art of presentation. The menu presents 100% vegetarian, traditional Southern Indian dishes. Nothing is greasy & every dish, is differently delicious & wonderfully served. The kitchen displayed exquisite preparations, skillfully prepared, with a mastery over the properties of spices & how they are blended. Upon arrival at Swagath, you are presented with a delicious Tomato Soup, usually called, Rasam. This thin tomato & lentil broth, is full-bodied, nicely flavored & made with Chili Powder, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Coriander Seed & Mustard Seed. The restaurant uses this mixture, to determine each customer’s level of spice tolerance. The chefs use cooling spices, as well as warming spices, bland spices, as well as pungent spices, sweet spices, as well as hot spices & some for color & healthful reasons, in addition to the sauces, which are skillfully prepared & pair well.