Editor’s Note: Originally published March 24, 2020. Updated September 29, 2022.

Months ago I was at Glacier Lanes (sadly, now closed) getting extra photos for the Bowling Alley Breakfasts piece and noticed something new going in across the intersection in the old Ta' Carbon space: 5 Rivers Indian Cuisine. It's been on my list of places to try ever since, and I finally made it down with my friend Lisa after they reached out to Live in Everett.

I didn't really look at the menu before going because it's deceptively huge; each dish has several protein choices but those choices are all treated as an individual item on the website, making the menu seem five times bigger.  Since I didn't read through it and the signs outside don't indicate it, I was surprised to learn when I got there that they also do Mediterranean food! We started with the 5 Rivers Surprise, an appetizer platter that includes stuffed grape leaves among the Indian treats.

Bread is a very important part of an Indian dinner, and Lisa joked that she wanted a whole order of garlic naan for herself. Knowing she was mostly serious, I asked for that, plus an order of onion kulcha, a leavened bread stuffed with fresh onion. Both were amazing. I especially liked the perfect saltiness of the kulcha.

Indian of course sounded amazing, but once I learned there was Mediterranean too, it felt necessary to have some of each. I ordered the lamb kabobs, which were charred to perfection on the outside but not overdone. They're not served on a stick, which I appreciate. Food on sticks is good at an outdoor event where you eat it off the stick, otherwise removing it yourself is annoying and messy. The sides were a pretty standard vegetable medley and delicious, fluffy basmati rice.

I'll definitely be back to try the falafel and gyros, two options I ruled out because they come with pita and we'd already had so much bread.

Lisa had the dish I originally chose for myself before spotting the Mediterranean section of the menu, Madras chili masa. She chose the chicken, and the bite I had was tender and swimming in a very rich and delicious sauce. If you haven't already filled up on appetizers and bread, there's plenty of sauce to go with the rice and leave you completely satisfied.

The sign out front advertises cocktails but the bar isn't ready just yet. There are a couple of beers and a few wines to choose from for now, though, and beer with Indian food is a classic pairing. With sports on one large TV and upbeat Indian pop music on another that was closer to us, the dining room was a fun place to catch up on a Friday evening.

5 Rivers Indian Cuisine
9629 Evergreen Way #201
Everett, WA 98204
(425) 212-9952

Christopher Bragg works from home in Everett and loves walking, swimming, and cats. You can find him all over town, but only if you keep weird hours and avoid crowds like he does.