In search of divini-tea...

I was a diehard fan of my mom's strong filter coffee for a very long time. Due to some health reasons, I stopped having coffee moved to tea 3-4 years back.

Initially, I was having a hard time finding a good teashop anywhere in my neighborhood (The definition of my neighborhood in this case is about 10 Kms radius from my house in Thyagarajanagar.). I tried tea in many places, from a roadside cyclewallah to big banner shops. But I was never happy with it. The only place I found a reasonably good tea was at Cuppa. Their Mumbai Cutting Chai was the best I could get. The tea was strong and the place was good to hangout with friends. But at Rs.80 per cup, it was still not a place I can visit often.

 

Chai Point

Few months back, I came across this outlet called Chai Point in N.R. Colony. Their Dum Chai was so damn good I started referring all my friends to this place. The best part was their price. I don't think I can get a better tea elsewhere for Rs.15.

Off late, their Dum Chai lost its original taste and I have shifted to Ginger Tea. So far, it is pretty good and most of the times, I can feel the tanginess of the Ginger when it reaches my throat. 

My Tea House

My colleague, who is also a tea lover, introduced me to My Tea House. At first, I mistook it as Infinitea on Cunningham Road, but later learned that this is on the Outer Ring Road, near Kamakya Theatre. It has been there for several years but I never noticed it.

I first visited this place about a month back and have been a regular ever since. I love this place for multiple reasons.

• The tea is good and reasonably priced (starts from Rs.35). They have a huge variety of teas, though not many in the with-milk category. Their Assam tea is my latest favorite.
• It is hardly a 3-minute drive from my place, if I don't count the waiting period at the Devegowda Petrol Bunk signal.
• It is right next to the busy main road. But once you are in, you barely hear any outside noise.
• The taste of food is above-average. I have tried a thali meal, French Fries, and Mixed Veg Pakodas. The thali meal costs Rs.200 and you get two rotis (or one parotha), a gravy, a tea, and a piece of cake. The quantity of French Fries and Pakodas serves two.
• It is an awesome place to catch up with friends and have a long chat, very much similar to Rangashankara canteen.

 

Mom's Magic

Mom's Magic is off K.R.Road, near Brigade MM. I had been there earlier for some chaats after I read good reviews in some newspaper. But I guess I was too South Indian for their North Indian flavor, so I did not quite like it and never visited again. But when my tea-loving colleague recommended this place for Masala Tea, I could not resist. 

I have had tea three times in this place now. It has been a different experience every time.

My first visit was during the long weekend of Diwali. I don't know what they gave me, but it did not taste anything like tea. When I discussed this with my friend, she told me that even she visited during the same period and had a similar experience. We concluded that the regular chef might have gone on leave, so the temporary staff could not get right. So, I decided to try again.

My second visit was almost two weeks after Diwali. I expected the regular chef to be back and hoped get to taste some genuine stuff. This time, whatever they served tasted like tea, but it was sweet. Again, when I asked my friend if this is how their tea is supposed to taste, she told me that I should specifically ask them not to make it sweet. I was like, "Seriously???  Sweet is the last thing I expect in a Masala Tea. I don't have to ask to exclude it, because it should not be there in first place!"

My last visit was with the same colleague who spoke so highly about it. This time we specifically asked for Masala Tea without sweet and the taste was okay-ish. Nothing great, but it was not as bad as my previous experiences.

The tea at Mom's Magic costs Rs.15, same as Chai Point. They serve in a matka, which makes it look good. But, Chai Point's Ginger tea served in a glass "lota" tastes way better any day.

Infinitea

I came across Infinitea when I was searching for My Tea House. Cunningham Road is way too far from my place. I finally went to this place yesterday, almost after two months of discovering it. It was about 1 p.m. when I entered this place, but I guess I was their first customer place.

The place is good. I particularly liked their pedestal tables facing the road, perfect for singles like me. Just like My Tea House, they have a good variety of teas, but very less in with-milk category. Since this was my first visit to the place, I preferred to go with a known flavor and  ordered Masala Tea with Ginger flavor (they have Cardamom  flavor version as well).

The teas are expensive. The Masala Tea costs Rs.130, but the tea comes in a kettle or pot. Mine came in a small kettle. I don't remember reading that in the menu card, so I was quite surprised and happy. They gave sugar cubes separately. Though the tea did not seem to have even an ounce of Ginger in it, it was strong to the level I wanted it. The quantity was enough for three rounds. So, I did not complaint.

The food is expensive as well and they don't have much to offer in the vegetarian category. I did not try anything.

Overall, it is a very nice place to hangout with friends or just alone on a lazy day, with a book to read. I will definitely visit again to try their other varieties.

 

Sidewing:

If you visit Chai Point, try their Samosas. They taste yum and not surprisingly, they sell like hot cakes.

My Tea House is easy to miss. Once you pass Devegowda Petrol Bunk on your right, keep an eye on the left for the Popular Bajaj showroom. My Tea House is right next to this showroom,

I have read some pretty nasty feedback about the staff at My Tea House online. But I never had issues. I am not sure whether my expectations are too low or they have learned their lessons. :)

I have read that Mom's Magic is good for lot of other things. Next time I go there, I will definitely try a soup or lassi.