Indian restaurant aims to offer broad appeal
Upon opening the wooden door of the Clay Pit, delicious aromas and the sound of finger cymbals fill the air.
The restaurant, which specializes in traditional and contemporary Indian cuisine, has been a staple on Guadalupe Street since 1998.
"Even though you're in Texas, we've had folks from the U.K., folks from India, folks from all over the world where there is some really high-quality Indian cuisine come here and not only be pleasantly surprised that there's good Indian food in Austin, but that it's actually great," Clay Pit Manager Graeme Fickling said. "It exceeds what they might have ever had before."
The original intent of the restaurant, Fickling said, was to bring Indian food into the mainstream, just as Italian and Mexican food has been able to break its way into daily American life. Service staff at Clay Pit make sure the dishes are perfectly spiced for each diner, with a heat index that ranges from mild, medium, hot and very hot levels. The medium level is like adding a few drops of Tabasco to a meal, while the hot-spiced dishes are for those who wish to sweat a bit.
