This review is about the whitefield outlet where I went sometime last week. Small, airy and comfy the place looked just right for some chai and pakoda. The menu looked interesting. Odd snack items reminded me of college but was a definitely welcome change from a lot of snack joints. My star item of course was to be the chai. I'm not exactly a connoisseur but I've had half a litre of tea in a day everyday for the past 20 years so I should know my stuff.
Quali-tea
At 50 INR the "kulhad chai" better be good, I thought. Bah! It was just passable. What really shocked me was the clay tumbler "kulhad" itself It did not "taste" nice (it had an after taste). I know how a kulhad changes the flavour of the tea but this tasted super musty. I didn't want to kick up a fuss the very first time I went here so this tea I downed in a hurry. No marks for Quali-Tea (not a menu item).
Quanti-tea
At 50 INR I guess a fresh kulhad for every order wouldn't hurt but I think it's not really environmental friendly. So I guess I'd settle for a well glazed kulhad that doesn't taste of ... well ... anything from earlier. The snacks I must say were decent. 30Rs for a well made bowl of maggi. I enjoyed the onion pakoda too. At 90 INR for the combo kulhad tea and 8 pieces of pakoda (50+40), I thought grave injustice was meted out to the latter.
Service was not professional. The host brought one item at a time even though there were just two of us. That meant a total of four trips, one each for for 2 teas and 2 snacks. Picture this, the host hurrying to the table looking to dump the hot tea cup on our table before it burnt her hand. I haven't had tea brought to me like this in years. It was hilarious. It didn't help that the damn thing didn't have a handle. Seriously, is a tray that expensive?
Friendliness should not replace efficiency. People pay for having a good meal and a good time. Getting that right is most important. Hope this is taken as constructive criticism by the management. Maybe all these are one-off cases so I should just have non-kulhad tea and forget about it.
hardlydavidson
Replied by: Chirag Yadav, Manager cum Owner, on Jan 05, 2012 Flag this
I will begin with how you summed it up. I wouldn't call ur review as criticism rather call it as inputs. I agree friendliness can't replace efficiency nor can lack of resources be hidden by trying extra personal hospitality from d host herself. Also ur observation on d Kullad Chai is a valid point. I begin my response(not a case fought in court but an honest admission) by firstly apologizing for it. I would confess it has to be a one off day when rather than d full staff we were working with just the host plus one. Now coming to some facts about Chaipatty & Whitefield setup in particular:
Chaipatty always has been a personal touch place where unlike usual cafe the hosts do serve & look around. We have had so many people liking d fact that we are a place like a friend's house that's serving home snacks with love & lots of smiles.
The Whitefield outlet is just a month old with still half staff & incomplete inventory. You would have noticed we don't have a wall menu there even. Moreover on 3 days the place is just managed by two people on the max & on those days serving in one go or even serving at all becomes a task. I toiling say we prefer people understanding this rather that we are just about getting it together. Another month old& it will be better & fine.
Our menu has been revamped centrally with the new one coming up on 9th Jan. Chai at our end is a non fuss homemade style Chai. Course there are better ones too. It still is being marginalized to a 40Rs Kullad & 20Rs cutting glass to kill d issue of price. I know many of us still would find it expensive & criticise us for d clay Kullad but trust us when we say that we make them in our own pottery classes and unlike the effect mud Kullad(the true form used in North) has on tea we can't replicate the taste but yes the experience to a bit. We do replace them every 2weeks.
Our snack portions always appeal to people & d combos again are a relief to the few having a price issue else giving the old school charm & home taste in things that are simple but not still available in town. So to make a place special with old school charm through rusticness in furniture, wallart & other its & bits we love people who can admire & observe d efforts. Inputs & healthy criticism is always welcome. I am sure the next time you come you would find subtle changes that will be to your liking. Do come again.
Thanks,
Chirag
Replied by: Chirag Yadav, Manager cum Owner, on Jan 05, 2012 Flag this