We South Indians are head over heels for Coffee right?  Cappuccino, Latte, Filter Coffee…you name it, we have had it. But times have changed and we are slowly training our tongues to try different beverages. TEA affectionately called as Chai is a famous hot/cold drink globally. When it comes to India, people from the northern side of the country are avid drinkers of tea compared to the Southern side. Tea Trails is an eatery dedicated to serve us authentic Teas from all over the world. They started their venture in Mumbai and have stepped foot into Ashok Nagar and ECR of Namma Chennai!

I was invited by the Tea Trails India team for a fanTEAstic experience ( see what I did there ) in their Ashok nagar outlet. I was a little skeptical since I am a wannabe ‘Filter Kapi’ connoisseur and knew nothing about tea. We were graciously welcomed by Mr. Madhukar Mende, Business support manager of the Southern region and his team with such enthusiasm that my foodie buddies and I were sure that we were going to have a great time and oh we did.

Tea Trails, Ashok Nagar is a small, adorable place with not-s0-flashy interiors. The huge wooden shelf caught my eyes as it was decorated beautifully with vintage kettles and crafty lightings. It’s a pleasant place for friends to come over and have a great Chat over tea.

 

 

We were explained ’bout the different varieties of tea, the process and the side dishes which would get along with the tea. They did serve a plethora of options for us but I am going to be mentioning my top 4 personal favorites in no particular order from our experience just to make this read easier for you.

Most of the Teas in Tea trails is served in a wooden tray with an empty cup, the press tea maker, Sugar container and a timer. Once the top half of the timer is empty, We can very well pour the perfect tea into our glasses and sip away to glory.

 

 

1.White tea and bun maska

White tea is one of the mildest tea ever. Rich in Aromas, this is drunk regularly to delay skin ageing. 2-3 minutes on the timer and it’s ready. Bun Maska is the preferred side dish to go with the white tea. Fluffy bread completed with tutti frutis and lots and lots of butter was delicious.

 

 

 

2.Kullad Chai and Onion Pakora

Masala Chai and Onion pakora is THE combination for the monsoon season. This perfect weather calls for the most aromatic GARAM GARAM kullad Chai with Spicy Onion Pakora. A MUST ORDER.

 

 

 

3. Kashmiri Kahwa and Burmese Tea salad

We were also served a traditional green tea with crushed almonds. The burmese tea salad served along with it was bland for many but Mr. Mende had mentioned that this combo is for the diet-conscious people and hence lacks salt and spices. I absolutely loved the tea since it was packed with flavours and smelt like Kashmir. ( I am serious). I loved the salad as well because it was fresh and crunchy.

 

 

4.Better wife and Egg kejriwal

These were my star combo since the drink and the side dish were as unique as their names. Fruity flavoured cold tea drink was a party in my mouth. I normally don’t eat egg but this dish was just too good to not miss. Egg, Cheese and chili Sandwich is what the dish is all about but Egg Kejriwal sounds much better right? JUST ORDER THIS ALREADY!

 

 

Honorable mention – Lychee Bubble tea

We were served a Taiwanese delicacy – BUBBLE TEA. Several outlets in Chennai already serve these exclusively so I didn’t find anything special in this lychee bubble tea but it tasted good so no complaints.

 

We were served many more mixes like Black tea and Grilled Paneer Sandwich which was my least favourite since it had a SMOKY flavour to it and I am not at all a fan of that. We were also served Vada Pav which lacked the flavours and didn’t taste as authentic as it is in their Mumbai outlet. My friends also had Kheema Pav and thought it was not palatable. So try these only and only if you are already a huge fan of the dishes & drinks.

 

Price

Since it was on-the-house, we weren’t allowed to pay but it would generally cost around 600 rupees for two which is a steal deal for an ultimate Tea experience.

 

Overall, know what you are ordering, refer a lot of reviews ( mine) and go with a blank space in your head. I am sure you will LOVE the teatastic experience. Yes I am never tired of making he Tea references.

PS : The Teas and the side dishes are not a combo. You have to order them separately.

 

Happy eating!

Cheers

Subhiksha Venkat

 

for collaborations , mail me at      : subi1112@gmail.com

Find Tea trails, Ashok nagar here : https://www.zomato.com/chennai/tea-trails-ashok-nagarhttps://www.zomato.com/chennai/tea-trails-ashok-nagar

Follow my gastronomical adventures here : https://www.zomato.com/Subhikshavenkat