Chai, the great leveller

This chain of tiny tea joints scattered all over the city is really a chai ki tapri in a cafe disguise

This chain of tiny tea joints scattered all over the city is really a chai ki tapri in a cafe disguise
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It's 6.30 in the evening. The long queue at the Sai Baba temple has already begun to form for the evening darshan at Cambridge Layout. But there is another line that is queuing up further down the road at a tiny tea shop that goes by the name of Chai Point. Hungry students, office goers and bus conductors can be seen crowding around the little glass case that contains rows of vegetable and egg puffs, samosas, paneer and egg rolls and some tea cakes. They are decidingu00a0 what to snack on with their favourite chai.



Chai Point, a tiny chain tea caf e, offers tea not in its delicate Darjeeling or Orange Pekoe form but a more robust, fun and mass version of the chai. And the nice part is that you can choose your grub along with it as part of a combo.

The menu is straight forward and up on the wall, but what will draw your attention is the chai board where you can recognise tea in its various avatars by a colour coded chart that covers everything from the robust red colours of a Suleimani Chai to the delicate golden brew of an Iced Lemon Chai. Though there are only about two tall bar stool style green chairs available for seating at the Cambridge Layout outlet, we suggest you remain standing while sipping on your chai in the true tapri style.

We first decide to quench our thirst with a tall glass of Iced Lemon Chai and an Egg Roll combo (R 30). The tea came with a hint of lime and was topped with loads of ice.u00a0 The Egg Roll had a curry leaf aftertaste to it along with boiled eggs and caramelised onions stuffed and baked inside a longish bun. What we liked was the fact that there was some consideration even for those watching their calories or those asked to stay away from sugar, in the form of Iced Green Chai and Sugar Free Chai.

Started by 35 year-old Amuleek Singh Bijral in 2010, an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Chai Point now has nine outlets all over the city. Amuleek gave up being a corporate pusher last year to turn full time entrepreneur with Chai Point where the idea was to offer everybody's favourite beverage in a hot and cold avatar in a clean environment. Targeted at you, me and any working person who has probably only about five minutes to spare and sip on a hurried glass of chai, the costliest dish or combo on the Chai Point menu is about R 30.

After downing our glass of iced tea, it was time to try the Masala Chai (R 15) and Dum Chai (R 10) along with a slice of Banana Cake (R 20) and Black Forest Cake (R 25). We would ask you to try the Dum Chai only if you don't mind your chai being a thick concoction of heavy duty, full cream milk and less of tea. The tea is a bit of an acquired taste but can do the job of waking you up for sure. It adds that punch you need to get going.

The Masala Chai was a toned down watery version of the Dum Chai with a mix of spices and went really well with the soft and nutty Banana Cake. The spicy brew had an aftertaste of clove which we really liked. The Black Forest Cake was layers of black sponge soaked up with cherry syrup and topped with a generous lashing of whipped cream. The cake took us back to childhood when Black Forest cakes were de rigueur at birthday parties and family outing. Perfect to stop by and have a hasty glass of chai on a busy day, we can see ourselves making Chai Point quite a haunt.u00a0 Where Chai Point, Cambridge Layout

Call 9886008100
Meal for Two R 130
Log on to www.chaipoint.com for other locations
Chai point didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals.