food & drink

Swagatam has been serving curries on Sant Agustí in Gràcia since 2012, out of a small, plain room where you choose the spice level. Ask for heat and the cooks take you at your word. Indian diners praise the home-style cooking and the family-style welcome, appropriate for a restaurant whose name is Sanskrit for “welcome.” Among the dishes they single out are dal makhani, palak paneer and bhuna gosht.

The kitchen makes onion pakora and samosas, with a spread of house chutneys, as well as chicken biryani, paneer masala and fresh breads. One fan recognizes the flavors of Punjab and Haryana in the cooking and drinks Kingfisher beer with the meal. Tables in the small room often fill up; the restaurant accepts reservations.