Restaurant Review: Kadak chai, chaat and lots of nostalgia

We decided to explore this café curated by Shitija Nahata, who is also the founder of the popular The Cupcake Company. As we entered the quaint little space on a Wednesday evening, the first thing that caught our eye was a giant sign on the wall that says ‘Kindly Overeat’, and trust us you will be doing exactly that. With a conscious effort to replicate the sights, sounds and the earthy ambience of the tea stalls of India, while also giving it a contemporary flavour, the décor has been aptly designed. And as we settled down on our seats, we were struck by nostalgia as posters of old advertisements, movies and antique utensils adorned the table. While a bizzare poster of a young ‘Dilip Kumar chilli pickle’ stared at us from one side, another of Hema Malini and Dharmendra in Aliba ba Aur 40 Chor took us back to the good old 80s. 

We then moved to the menu – a not-so-elaborate all-day menu which has a variety of vegetarian snacks from Marathi pohe to Dilii ke cholle , aloo puri, samosas and more, that are best paired with kadak chai, brewed desi style with masala, cardamom or ginger. 

We started by sipping on a glass of refreshing, hot adrak chai (ginger tea), while soft and buttery bun maska, that is a staple at traditional Iranian cafes in Mumbai and spicy masala papad , served as the perfect accompaniments. We also tried the gongura aloo roll. Crunchy on the outside, spicy and soft on the inside, these rolls had the distinctive sour taste of gongura leaves. This one’s a must try! There was also the buttery and delicious pav bhaji. The bhaji was full of butter and spices and the toasted pav was just perfect with it. Meanwhile, the meltin-the-mouth cheese balls were served with a tangy mint chutney. This one’s a crowd-pleaser. For those who enjoy spicy bites, the pyaaz hari mirchi pakoda (onion and green chilli fritters) is a must have. Crisp, spicy and tangy, as you pop the pakodas in your mouth, there is a burst of flavours in  your mouth. 

The biggest indulgence of the evening was however, the paneer paratha with dahi. The paratha was flaky and stuffed with paneer , fresh coriander, mint, chilli and spices, making it very filling. It was served with a dollop of butter and thick curd – it was just heaven on a plate. 

We finally washed all the butter down with a glass of comforting namkeen lassi .

Chai Nasta, St Mary’s Road, Alwarpet 

Cuisine: North Indian snacks 

Must try: Gongura aloo roll, pav bhaji, paneer paratha, namkeen lassi

Contact: 044 3123 4511 

Rating: 3.5/5