I've been to Chai Coffi twice, and the first thing that strikes you when you enter is that it is a bit different to every other reasonably mainstream coffee shop you will experience. Cafe Coffee Day and Barista offer an alright experience on the whole, but it doesn't feel like you're enjoying something of an experience. The closest I came to that was Gloria Jeans, and even then it wasn't all that. That said, I do rate Gloria Jeans as the best true blue coffee joint.
I digress though. The reason my train of thought seemed to be derailed was this; the ambience at Chai Coffi is very classy, very...upmarket almost. There are two seating areas that you can pick from and the interior is the one you will want to go for. It's reasonably quiet, the music is good and the wall rack to one side subtly lighting multiple breads and what not reminds me of the Bombay Baking Company if I'm to be honest.
But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. My first time around, all I had was a Cafe Mocha because let's face it, if they can't make a good Mocha they're not worth their worth their weight in coffee beans. Thankfully, it was great, much better than some of the dross you'd get at CCD or Barista and they've got a wide variety of coffees, teas and savories to choose from (khari, bun maska, even meals like kheema pav!). I promised to return a second time and I did just that today.
I tried their Chicken Club Sandwich (Rs. 125 wonly) and it was exquisite. One bite and my mind exploded with the taste. There was something about it I couldn't put my finger on, so I took a closer look at the condiments and realized what it was I loved so much; the bread was Rye bread and it was a lot like this Jewish Rye bread I tried once while traveling overseas. It was not just the bread though. On the whole the sandwich was very filling (and that's saying a lot given I have a ravenous appetite) and it was absolutely sensational in every way.
The negatives then; the place is pricey, no question about that. But it's only expensive if you treat it as a chai coffee shop. I think the name does it a great disservice in that it shuts you out to the rest of its menu and the possibilities it offers. The overpriced nature of the menu comes through in items such as dal khichdi for Rs 195. Even I would laugh at dal khichdi that's that expensive, and there's no way it's worth that much. But Chai Coffi is more of an eatery than a coffee shop. It has a vast array of pizzas and bites that you can grab and I genuinely believe it is a standout little restaurant cum coffee shop. It's hard to pigeonhole it as purely one or the other.
Please don't write it off; give it a shot. You do get what you pay for.
fooddood
