If you are one of those who finds your way to a street-side shack for your cup of chai and snacks, you need to first fight your way through the largely Malayalee crowd talking animatedly of the latest newsmaker (the relief work now that the waters have receded), and do your best imitation of ‘ Oru cup chaya chetta!’ (a cup of tea brother)to the tea master behind the busy counter.
Mangala’s Tea Time Cafe
The minute you put your foot into this shop, you will get a sense of what a chaya kada actually looks like. With some parts of the menu written in Malayalam, cartoons of a man pouring chai into the glass tumbler and another of a man holding the Mathrubhumi newspaper and those typical wooden benches will make any Malayali feel at home. From Kannur Kerala, Ameen has been in this business for 47 years. Even though this shop in Koramangala has been around for only two years, he has other branches in Majestic and Mahadevapura, which have been there for a long time.
Even at 1.30 in the afternoon the stall is packed and buzzing. Having bought their cooks from Kerala, you can expect nothing but authentic Kerala food. Their tea, coffee, pazham pori, ella adda, enthapazham porichde (roasted date fritters) and different kinds of cutlets will tickle your taste buds. “I come here almost every day for my chai. My favourite thing about this place are their snacks.” said a customer as he munched on a samosa.
Thalassery Cafe
This chai shop is part of Thalaserry restaurant. They have been in Bangalore for six years and have branches in the city and in other parts of India.
Their most selling and popular order is pazham pori and chai. Native to North of Kerala, Thalassery serves delicacies that will make your mouth water. Chicken Ella adda, unnakai, erachi pathiri (meat pastry) are some of their famous tea time snacks.
Chai Kada
Another chai shop to go to is Chai Kada, a comparatively newer chai shop in HRBR layout. It is known for its chaya and North Kerala snacks. Its décor has a painting of a man wearing a lungi making chai the Kerala style. Customers love their “chaya and pazham pori” at the Chai Kada. A regular customer adds: “I come here almost everyday in the morning or evening for a glass of tea and snacks. It is fresh and tasty.” There are glass jars of biscuits available just like those found at chai shops in Kerala. One of their speciality is the kappa (tapioca) biriyani. Snacks such as vada, bonda, onion and chicken samosas are a must try.
Nadan Tea Stall
One question that every Malayali will ask you is “ Natele evediya ? (Which part of Kerala are you from?)” and my introduction to this chai shop happened exactly like this. He not only asked but also explained where he was from. Excited to meet a fellow Malayali, he spoke in Malayalam has he told me about the chai shop.
They have been around for 12 years. Just like the typical Kerala chai shops, all their dishes have been written outside their shop in both Malayalam and English.
Known for their breakfast and tea time snacks, this is another to go chai shop. It is popular for their rice and fish curry, they also serve other Kerala delicacies such as porota, sugiyan (pulses and jaggery fritters), appam and idiyappam.
