East 11th Street has much to offer as a burgeoning restaurant row: new all-day cafes like Radio Rosewood, beloved bars with top-notch pub grub like Nickel City, brunch icons like Hillside Farmacy and Paperboy … and, of course, the ultimate Austin BBQ destination known as Franklin. But there’s another restaurant that’s been steadily and reliably serving this buzzy corner of East Austin for almost 10 years, but with far less fanfare than many of its trendier neighbors. I’m talking about Old Thousand, a Chinese-Texan spot that opened in 2016 and gained a cult following thanks to dishes like brisket fried rice and jalapeño popper rangoons.
Old Thousand knows its neighborhood and knows how to deliver what the locals want while still allowing its team’s creative interests to shine through. With Electric Gravy, newly opened next door, the team expands its Asian-ish culinary repertoire to offer an Indian dining experience that’s thoroughly Westernized and very enjoyable.
The Old Thousand team expands its Asian-ish culinary repertoire to offer an Indian dining experience that’s thoroughly Westernized and very enjoyable.
Decorwise, the restaurant uses its industrial space to deliver a surprisingly warm vibe. “Quirky” is the name of the game here – vintage couches and armchairs, cushioned banquettes, vintage Indian movie posters, and elaborate tin ceilings balance out the concrete floors and wide warehouse windows. It’s very flea-market chic, and this visual scheme makes it clear that casual comfort is an Electric Gravy priority. The service follows similar cues. While the pacing of menu drops and dish coursing needs more consistency (a common challenge with new restaurants), the servers and bartenders bring bright and enthusiastic vibes and a strong understanding of the menu concept.
I won’t get into my very long and tedious rant about how “authentic” is the laziest and most irritating of all food adjectives. The food made by Eastern immigrants in Western countries tells a compelling story and offers fantastic flavors, and only a fool would devalue those dishes on the basis of “but they’re not what you’d get in the actual country!” So what? Good-tasting food is good-tasting food, and the Indian fare served in the UK and the U.S. often fits that description.
Electric Gravy makes no effort to shy away from the “fusion” label, proudly declaring itself “Indian with a uniquely Texan disposition.” The cocktail list delivers that message loud and clear, using Indian ingredients and flavor profiles to tweak classics like the French 75 and the margarita. The Mumbai 75 invites rosewater and cardamom to join the typical gin, lemon, and sparkling wine, resulting in a summery libation with huge citrus presence and very subtle hints of floral spice. As for the Pudina Pani Marg, serrano-infused tequila merges with lime, mint, and cilantro to make a drink that will delight spicy marg fans and herb lovers, even if it’s not quite in balance. The chaat masala rim is a cute variation on the usual salt or Tajin rim of a margarita, but the duskiness of the spice mix doesn’t meld well with the cocktail’s other flavors. It’s a good and thematic idea in theory, but less successful in practice.
The food menu will read very favorably to anyone dealing with the munchies; it has fried food galore, lots of rich and zesty sauces, and a pressed-sandwich section that will bring joy to the hearts of Austin’s grilled cheese enthusiasts. Starters include Indian street food classics like samosas and paneer, which Electric Gravy executes well. The samosas are light and noshable, with eggroll-like crispy dough and a mellow pea-potato filling with a gentle and aromatic seasoning. They’re served with contrasting dipping sauces: a cilantro chutney bursting with vibrant acidity and salt, and a fruit-forward tamarind chutney that’s equally tangy and sweet. The samosas can be ordered off the regular menu or as part of Electric Gravy’s truly exceptional weekday happy hour, during which select snacks and an array of cocktails, beer, and wine are all marked down to $5.
A memorable appetizer combining a Texan bar food favorite with Indian influences is the curry queso. Processed American cheese offers a salty and familiar backbone, and the curry oil brings in a delicate flavor and a nice hit of heat on the finish. When scooped onto a chip, the queso makes for a harmonious bite, but the flavors could stand to be more assertive, and a touch of tart citrus juice certainly wouldn’t hurt.
The “Gravies” section includes a mishmash of curries, vindaloos, and masalas. If you’ve been to London and enjoyed a chicken tikka masala there, then you’ll be happy with Electric Gravy’s fairly by-the-book rendition, especially if you add the well-grilled and plush naan on the side. The pork vindaloo has a bolder presence thanks to a sauce that sings with acidity and slow-burning spice. The pork doesn’t have much unique character, and the onions could be more thinly sliced for better distribution, but it pairs with grainy basmati rice to make a satisfying meal.
Now we come to the “Desi Meltz,” the chief chaos agents of Electric Gravy’s culinary concept. These panini-like creations give grilled cheese an Indian-ish makeover, and while the irreverence of this idea might inspire a few eyerolls among Indian food purists, these are some undeniably tasty sandwiches. The grilled butter chicken and cheese melt contains a rich and indulgent blend of rich butter chicken and Jack cheese, and the sourdough bread proves substantial and well-grilled enough to keep the naturally gooey ingredients from leaking out. You can choose a chutney to accompany your sandwich; the pepper-heavy Nagin chutney made this heat fiend a very happy diner.
The tadka fried chicken on grilled naan is the one sandwich that doesn’t follow the “Meltz” model; it’s open-faced with red onions and cilantro spread loose on the flatbread. The eating experience proved pretty unwieldy; this is a two-handed sandwich for sure. But the tadka fried chicken features a crispy texture and complex spice blend, the naan doesn’t buckle under the toppings’ weight, and the “Electric” ranch is fragrant and excellent.
The very brief dessert menu – only two items – includes a bulky and dense Bhel Krispie Treat with a perfumy flavor and a dry texture. I’d recommend skipping that in favor of the mango lassi, which is smooth, fruity, and just tangy enough. If you’re in a cocktail mood, consider the Mango Lassi Painkiller, which welcomes rum, coconut, lime, and nutmeg to the party.
Electric Gravy makes perfect sense as a companion to Old Thousand. Both serve their neighborhoods with genuine warmth and understanding, both are unafraid to merge Texan themes with Asian flavors, and both excel at takeout (many of the folks who entered while I was there departed with to-go bags). I’d be surprised if it didn’t become as firm a foothold as its older sibling on East 11th Street.
Electric Gravy
1050 E. 11th #100
This article appears in June 27 • 2025.