CHARLESTON — Oysters infused with tandori-spiced butter. Lobster cooked in a silky coconut sauce with fennel and black pepper. Roasted pumpkin soup finished with truffle oil.
These aren’t the culinary creations typically found at most Indian restaurants.
Rivayat, now open at 210 Rutledge Ave., isn’t like most Indian restaurants, its owner said.
The new Cannonborough-Elliottborough establishment, which debuted Sept. 18, offers some of the traditional tastes diners might expect — samosa chaat, butter chicken, lamb vindaloo and plenty of buttery naan. But much of the menu, including those items listed above, largely diverges from the norm.
That’s what sets the new downtown Charleston restaurant apart, owner Sujith Varghese said. Rivayat is dedicated to the seafood culture in India and exploring how culinary traditions from throughout the country can converge with ingredients found in the Lowcountry.
Before opening, Varghese, who also owns Spice Palette in Mount Pleasant, was inspired by meals at Rasika in Washington, D.C., and Chatti by Regi Mathew in New York City. The upscale establishments showcased Indian cuisine in a new light, from the food and drinks they served to the atmosphere in the dining room.
When the space that previously held Malaysian spot Makan — and before that Goulette — opened up, Varghese jumped at the opportunity to introduce his version of an elegant Indian restaurant to the Charleston peninsula.
His vision included a complete renovation of the space, which features a new bar, framed prints of fishermen in the Southern Indian town where Varghese’s parents grew up and a pair of murals designed by a local artist.
Guests who fill the 60-seat room can share a range of Indian entrees, plus craft cocktails from the bar. With classics like chicken tikka masala cozying up to elegant riffs on Indian dishes you’ve had before, Rivayat is designed to engage the casual diner as well as the more adventurous.
Rivayat is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, visit rivayatcreativeindian.com.