Now Open: Check out Kolapasi, Greenville's first fast-casual Indian restaurant (2024)

GREENVILLE— Even before you’ve set foot inside Kolapasi Indian Canteen, you know you’ve arrived at the right place. The smells of curry, ginger, garlic and cardamom float through the air as if beckoning you inside.

When you open the door to the newly opened restaurant on South Pleasantburg Drive, you are greeted with an aroma that is both warm and enticing, along with a friendly staff.

If you know nothing else, know this: What has been dubbed theChipotle for Indian food delivers in speed of service. True to their promise, you can be in and out within 10 minutes, if not less.

It took me longer only because I wanted to try multiple dishes.

Tasting is a key component of the Kolapasi experience, and in fact it is encouraged. The restaurant is built upon the STO mode— “see, taste, order.”

It helps as the curries at Kolapasi are characterized by traditional ingredients and preparations, and in my experience can have a slightly higher spice level. While I like spice, it could be a bit much for some.

If you’re looking for something less spicy, the butter chicken and the ghee rice delivers nicely.

Prefer a little spice? Both the green curry and shrimp masala have medium spice levels, which can be cooled some with raita, rice and the tasty and flaky parotta.

Or, wash it down with a mango lassi.

Vegetarians will find a nice offering of eggplant, potato, paneer and tofu curries. The items I tried all had a slight, though not overpowering, edge.

Kolapasi originated in India, the brainchild of Santhosh Muruganantham. The idea as Muruganantham saw it was to bring a consistent, true Indian flavor to the quick-service realm.

The ordering process is simple: You walk through a line, choosing variety of rice, and then choosing two curries. The aforementioned eggplant was tasty and had a bit of a kick, but was tempered with the addition of the refreshing raita.

The signature chicken chukka is made with a variety of masalas and spice blends that impart a punch of flavor that has a bite on the front end, but bite after bite, is a bit addictive.

“How Subway and McDonald’s has broken the barrier and made it a system, I realized there is a huge opportunity for Indian food,” Muruganantham told The Post and Courier. “Everybody wants Indian food, but you cannot get a standard taste across the country, so that’s how Kolapasi was born.”

One thing Kolapasi does not lack is flavor.

The restaurant’s specialty wet and dry curries are made with proprietary masala blends and sauces. These masalas are time-consuming to make but are key to the magic. Kolapasi simplifies the process by preparing and preserving the sauces and spice blends at the company’s headquarters in India, and then shipping them to each restaurant.

So, while the heavy lifting is done ahead of time, all food is cooked fresh on site. Most of the items must simmer for a long period of time, which infuses the curries with deep flavor.

While Kolapasi is designed for easy takeout, the restaurant does have a nice dining area for those wanting to eat in.

Also of note, the restaurant is highly focused on sustainability, using more sustainable packaging and utensils. Water is also always free.

Kolapasi Indian Canteen is now open at 27 S. Pleasantburg Dr. in the Frest Market Plaza at Laurens Road.

The restaurant serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. Prices range from $12 - $15 for bowls, featuring chicken, goat, beef, shrimp, tofu and vegetable dishes.

For more, visit https://kolapasi.com.