Amidst the hustle of TTK Road is a snug milkshake shop under the banner — Frappista: The Milkshake Theory. Lying a few meters below street level, the 20-seater shop has the charm of a minimal, angularly designed interiors that can cater to small groups of happy-go-lucky patrons.
Kickstarted by two fashion photographers, Santhosh Gunasekar and Vignesh Veeracholan, the duo established the outlet with the idea to make milkshakes affordable. Vignesh, who once had a Thickshake Factory franchise wanted to create his own brand, teamed up with Santhosh, and Frappista was born. They also have another branch in Nungambakkam operating for nearly one year now.
Talking about the idea behind the brand, Santhosh says, “Our concept is to create a milkshake that is neither watery nor thick — we just want a creamy milkshake that is served in 250ml bottles instead of the big 500 ml ones. A milkshake, after all, is not a main course meal.”
They recently introduced the tender coconut flavour, with plans to launch a Little Hearts blend by mid-September. The former is already available in other stores, but the latter invokes nostalgia and we can’t wait to try it out.
He then explains how they source their ice-cream (three scoops go into each shake), “We have the same dealer as SPI Cinemas. We provide the dealer with the required flavours and consistency, and they give us fresh ice-cream only for Frappista.” Santhosh explains that the recipes were his brain-child, adding that he is currently experimenting with pretzels, cookie dough, and more.
If you’re looking for a mid-day caffeine boost, go for the Mocha Brownie drink. It’s got a great mix of strong coffee and mildly chewy brownie bits that don’t get in the way of your drink.
Oreo is easily the safest bet at most milkshake vendors, and Frappista too has a dedicated Oreo section with options like Mint Oreo and Strawberry Oreo. Admittedly, we were sceptical about adding anything to the classic cookie-shake, but upon insistence, we tried the Black Currant Oreo and it turned out to be quite pleasant with hints of the tangy fruit in each sip.
To put an Indian twist on things, we tried the paan milkshake, although, it is a tad too sweet for us. And if you’re in the mood for something fruity, the litchi fruit shake is a fresh option to savour. Also, look out for shakes on with added protein for the body-conscious.
For a quick bite, we opt for their Masala Fries that are surprisingly not greasy, and arrive with a generous portion for two. There are a good range of dips you cannot go wrong with, costing only Rs.10 apiece. We also recommend the deep-fried corn and cheese nuggets. Although, you might want to give the mozzarella sticks and cheese balls a miss if you’re passionate about your quality of cheese.
The partners also have plans to shift the menu to a more Chennai-centric mix. Watch out for a flavour of the day which will have reduced prices on their signature drinks, also available on delivery via aggregators. Rs.250 per person.