#SunsationalSummer at Chaayos

The “chai tapri” which was across the street from my old office building was known for its amazing “cutting chai”. In fact it was so good, that some of the guys at work began calling it a truth serum. If you wanted information as to who, what and why of the happenings in our office, the tapri seemed to be the place to go. Over ten minutes of a chai break you could get unimaginable insider information, the truth in the gossip and get factual information about all you ever wanted to know. It may have been the flavour of the tea, or its ginger aftertaste, but whatever it was, it made the tapri a frequented hotspot for me and my buddies.

Last week as I was in Phoneix Market city, Kurla with my work buddies, after a long day at work . We decided to try out Chaayos which seemed like an interesting hang out. Ive heard of it being referred to as “chai adda” which served snacks and shakes in addition to a variety of tea and was very tempted to try it out. SinceI had already got a couple of my buddies interested as well, we head there to check it out.

A special mention to the staff Zoobi who was so helpful in recommending the right dishes that made our experience at Chaayos really wonderful! Here is my experience as we were recommend by the staff to try out their new #SunsationalSummer menu:

D-R-I-N-K-S

Kulhad Chai – This chai has an earthy saffron flavour to it and is served in a traditional handle-less terracotta unpainted cup. Reminds me of my last visit to Nainital a few years ago.

Shahi Chai –This tea is an extremely thick and creamy (lassi-like) chai topped with almonds and served in a kulhad cup. It is rich and on the sweeter side and definitely feels royal. Loveeeeeeeeeeeeed it!

Kulfi Shake – OMG! Loved it! Tasted like a chilled falooda with sabza(Chia seeds) in it. It is mesmerizing and keeps you wanting more! Simply put, it is somewhat of a liquid kulfi crossed with a falooda – perfect if you are a falooda fan! (Extreme left hand size in the pic below)

Chocolate Cake Shake –Like the name suggests this is a very cakey shake with nuts thrown in. I loved it’s texture and the classic chocolate taste.(Middle in the pic below)

F-O-O-D

Spicy Paneer Salad –This was fresh mix of tossed up veggies like bell peppers, red cabbage, cucumber and onions with a sweet spicy salad dressing and soft succulent chunks of cottage cheese. Crisp and crunchy the salad lives up to expectations!

Palak Patta Crispies –This seemed like one of those special home-made recipes  consisting of palak leaves deep fried to make it crisp & topped with tamarind chutney, jalapeno, onion, bhuji sev chura, chat masala served with a delicious dip giving it a spicy, sweet & sour twist. Dont miss trying this- its A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Chicken/Mutton Cutlet –Both were similar in taste, the mutton one being just a bit more spicier than the chicken cutlet. Served with a very spicy mayo.

Paneer + Chicken loaded open paratha– I liked the concept of the open paratha served like a pizza base as it felt like we were having a pizza. The paratha was of a thin crust with generous serving of chicken and paneer in a smoky tandoori makhani sauce making it a delicious snack. The ratio of toppings and paratha was just perfect and I highly recommend this dish. We just swiped the plate clean….hahaha!

My recommendations:

1. Kulfi Shake
2. Shahi Chai
3. Palak Patta Crispies
4. Chicken/Mutton Cutlet
5. Paneer/Chicken loaded open paratha

Chaayos seems to be more than just about a variety of chai and has an atmosphere that created conversations amongst us just as stimulating as that at our office chai tapri. This place will definitely turn up on my most frequented places list by the end of this year!

Had a BLAST @ Chaayos!