An easy-to-miss stall in the food court area of Grand Galleria mall, Phoenix Mills, does no justice to the enormity of Chado Tea. With 112 varieties in store, the tea shop has more to offer than visible to the naked eye. So walk up and explore. We just did.
Stacked neatly in glass containers is a gamut of tea leaves - ranging from winter herbal blends to loose leaves to house blends, most of them being imported exotic variants available nowhere else in the city. The 'teaman' as they like to call him, is quite knowledgeable about the teas - their flavour, history et al, and is happy to assist with placing the order. Hot teas are brewed perfectly - water is brought to a boil and then one spoonful tea is soaked in the water through a sieve for exactly three minutes minutes, so much so that a stopwatch is followed for precision! So, while the teaman brews several customers' teas, be prepared to wait at the stall (the food-court seating is away from the stall) and in all probability, your tea will be well worth the wait. International Tea Importer (ITI) founder Devan Shah's signature milk scented oolong, with its strong aroma and lasting flavour, is one of the best green teas in the shop. Organic Japanese sencha and monkey-picked oolong are worth trying. However, hot teas are served in paper cups - where they somehow lose the essence. Indian-style chai drinkers may dismiss these teas as 'flavoured hot water'. For them, Chado has Assam blend and imported CTCs served with milk and sugar. Hot teas are priced anywhere between Rs.80-100 per cup, depending on the gram value. Even better are the ice-teas. Priced between Rs.40-60, they're perfect for the Indian temperatures and come in thirty never-tried-before flavours. Try Kiwi herbal and Guava herbal - absolutely delightful.
Tea is sold by gram - the most expensive one being Ceylon Silver white tea at Rs.7500 for 50 gms. Chado Tea also has some gifting ideas like mugs, teapots and books. A twenty-sampler gift box, priced at Rs.800 contains black and white teas, South African, Chamomile, Christmas tea and energy tea. Private tea tasting sessions are conducted for groups of six or more. The place is just waiting to be discovered by tea lovers in the city.
