Our love for monsoons and chai go hand-in-hand, and this love for a freshly-brewed cuppa has brought brothers Sandip and Sourav Joarder from North Bengal to open their first tea place in Kolkata, Cha-Khor, at Sulekha More in Jadavpur. Though across the state they have seven QSR outlets, this is their first cafe in the City of Joy.
“We are passionate about tea and we believe that a perfect cup of tea has the power to brighten your day, evoke nostalgia, and create moments of connection. Our love for tea led us to create a space where chai enthusiasts like us can discover the finest blends, experience the rich flavours, and indulge in the cosy comfort that this beverage brings,” says Sandip and Sourav.
When you walk into this cute, little space, the first thing that will excite you are the bright walls adorned with huge wall paintings of Kolkata and its vintage vibes. Every corner of this place doubles up for a picturesque photo zone. We enjoyed our cup of refreshing lemongrass tea and a cup of blue tea with masala omelette, served with crispy, toasted bread slices. Fluffy and replete with onions and tomatoes, this can be your go-to option for breakfast along with a host of flavoured and milk teas, sourced fresh from the hills of Dar jeeling and Dooars.
We next tried a plate of steaming hot Darjeeling momos, served with a spicy, homemade chutney. Juicy and freshly made, the piping hot momos are just the thing you crave on a wet, cold afternoon. A plate of Grilled chicken sandwich, loaded with spicy chicken bits, arrived at our table next, paired with a glass of chilled Blue lagoon cooler that was soul-satisfying. Though quite full, we couldn’t waste the opportunity to try most of the tea menu while at a place like this. With the incessant rains delaying our departure, we decided to sip on some flavoured milk teas — rose milk tea and vanilla milk tea, to be specific.
Both of these were strong and not too sweet and had robust flavours. We ended our tea party with a plate of fudgy, homemade brownies with ice cream that reminded us again that at times food can still be simple and old school, yet be the showstopper!
Meal for two: Rs 200+
Pictures by Anindya Saha