Where: 26, 1st Floor, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi
What: Experiments with Chai, Tea-time snacks
Cost: 400 for two
Chaayos, the professional chai-makers are all set to brew nostalgia into the cuppas of the hip and chic Hauz Khas Village starting July as they opened their 9th outlet in the well-loved locality of South Delhi. The recent launch event of HKV outlet marked the very first time I tried Chaayos and let me tell you, there are going to be many more visits.
I think 'charming' describes the place best- plenty of natural light, green tints, funky wall arts, and creative lighting together makes for the perfect setting for some alone time or catching up with friends. I like how the seating is spacious and yet ample (and covered in sack cloth), unlike the rest of the places in Hauz Khas Village. All in all, the place has got happy vibes, quirk and lots of chai. What more can one ask for? Oh yes, FOOD!
The food menu is an absolute delight for tea lovers- everything that pairs best with tea is available at Chaayos- think Cookies, Sandwiches, Buns, Poha, and Wraps. Other than a huge variety of customizable Indian hot teas, they also serve shakes, lemonade, chhaach and iced teas- if you'd like to cool things off a little. I tried the toasted Bun Maska- it came with a glistening layer of butter and sesame- tea's perfect partner or what? I then had a quick taste of the Vada Pao which was also quite perfect. For drinks, they served us Shikanji which was as refreshing as a shikanji can get, then later, I had a Kulhad Chai infused with saffron. The 12 ingredients used in different teas at Chaayos are totally under your control- you can pick the ingredient you want in your tea and chuck out the rest. This way, you can try different combinations and create a new flavour everytime you visit Chaayos!
The team also had some tea tasting and guessing session arranged for the bloggers that just added to the fun. From a single visit to the quaint tea parlour and a fair amount of interaction with the owners, I could make out that a) they really do love their chai b) they are focusing on making the everyday chai experience more enriching and personal.
I am keen on trying the Aam Papad chai, Kiwi Iced tea, Kebab wrap and Chocolate Bun the next time I visit any Chaayos outlet!
Feel free to share your chai-experiences in the comments below.
