Chaayos: Experiments With Chai...

Chaayos has been a constant ever since I rediscovered my love for Chai. It comes as no surprise whenever I discuss with friends that Chaayos has had a trademark of experimenting with what all food and beverages are being offered to patrons in order to cater to ever-changing moods, seasons, and palates.

So much so that their catchphrase itself proclaims - 'Experiments With Chai'. Sipping on my hot cuppa is always a delight in disguise so much so that I keep frequenting the two Chaayos outlets in my immediate vicinity - Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden and Moments Mall, Kirti Nagar. In fact, Chaayos serves as a respite post an exhausting shopping spree.

This time, however, I was invited by none other than the lady spearheading Chaayos' Social Media, Divya, for some chit-chat over the tasting of their newest Summer Menu featuring Iced Teas, Street Food Bites, and Tropical Cakes. The destination was Chaayos, Netaji Subhash Place.

While the former two outlets that I visit often are open-air, unwalled outlets situated at a focal point within respective malls, the latter one at NSP is a stand-alone walled outlet situated at the Ground Floor of P.P. Tower.

The first thing that appeals to me about any Chaayos outlet, which also held here at NSP, are those vibrant hues, tea souvenirs like archaic kettles and cutting chai lamps, and the trademark 

Having met one of the founders of Chaayos, Nitin Saluja, at the recently concluded Fintech Valley Summit, Vizag (Visakhapatnam), there was a lot that Divya had to share about the conception of Chaayos and their recently celebrated 4-year-anniversary.

Here's a sneak peek into what all deliciousness has been incorporated into the Summer Menu at Chaayos.

Beverages, all of which utilize natural fruit extracts or pulp as may be the case, and no flavoring agents:

Kala Khatta Iced Tea, which has the good old जामुन (Blackberry) as its base reminded me of those ice-candy carts in my childhood.

Aam Panna Iced Tea had the tang of unripe mangoes and the distinct खट्टा-मीठा flavor.

Pineapple Strawberry Iced Tea formed for quite a peculiar combination when I first heard of it. However, the presence of strawberry pulp made it a delight to consume this beverage. This one also has a certain tang imparted to it.

Food:

Kaala Chana Chaat is all about black chickpeas served with a dash of lime, along with a generous helping of Mexican Salsa and Cajun spices that goes into its making.

Palak Patta Crispies is a dish that has been introduced by many restaurants over the past few months. At Chaayos, however, a new avatar is given to it by revamping the dip as a Tamarind Honey Dip that is layered over air-fried spinach leaves. Also, did I mention the generous topping of Sev, Onions, and Jalapenos? :D

Kulhad Matar Kulcha is presented as a distant cousin of Chaayos' hot-selling Winter Menu dish, Kulhad Pav Bhaji. The Kulcha is topped with Italian Seasoning (oregano and chili flakes) and is quite soft and fluffy, while the Kulhad Matar are topped with chopped onions, tomatoes, and green chili. This dish is for the spice lovers out there.

Desserts:

Their Tropical Cakes, namely Blueberry Lemon and Fruit Factory are all set for a launch today, so when I visited yesterday, I brought the snack-time to a sweet conclusion with their Chocolate Factory and Date & Fig being rolled over from Winter Delights, while the Masala Chai and Apple Streusel tea cakes have been discontinued lately.

Needless to say, I'll keep coming back to Chaayos for all things चाय and नाश्ता. :)