Lightly steeped, strong brew, spiced, floral, fruity, with honey, with lemon, milky … how do you like your tea? Well … that would depend on the tea!!
Conversations about and over exotic teas can be a never ending party in Bandra, which is known more for its watering holes and nightlife. But for connoisseurs of the vast variety that tea and tea brews have to offer, Bandraoffers another vibrant set of options.
Here are the Top 3 places to savour the gentle art of tea.
Taj Mahal Tea House
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Located near Mount Mary Steps in an extremely tastefully restored bungalow, this one off outlet of HUL boasts of one of the finest selection of Indian teas. It celebrates that there is no one ‘ideal’ way to enjoy tea – whether in type of tea, brew or even the company – except that it cannot be hurried! You will, therefore, find a variety of furniture to suit your mood, from stuffed chairs to snuggle into with a book and brew, to large marble topped tables for leisurely chats in a group.
The selection of teas is astonishing. From the delicate Darjeeling Treasure Gold, earthy Misty Oolong and feather light White tea to spicy concoctions like Parsi Mint Chai, Kashmiri Kehwa and Orange Blossom tea. There are teas with surprising twists like the nutty Jaipur Royal, Malabari Vanilla Coconut and the jaggery sweetened HyderabadiSulemani tea.On a hot, sultry day, you can chill with a range of iced teas, lemonade teas and tea smoothies.
Tea served here is a one of a kind experience – a brilliant package of location, service and brew.
Yoga House
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Yoga House is tucked away in a narrow lane off the road going up to Pali Hill from Carter Road. This fully organic café sits on top of a popular yoga centre. Everything at the café is focused on good health, but without sacrificing taste. Though not famous for its teas, it offers a very refreshing range of healthy brews.
The range of teas is not very expansive but they are just not your regular brews. For example the Kada chai is a black tea concoction which hits you with a punchy combination of black pepper, clove, cinnamon, ginger and lemongrass. Vary the intensity of the punch by the amount of honey and feel your nasal passages clear out, leave you feeling fresh and perky. Similarly, the masala chai has a twist of lemongrass to the standard spices and the Saffron tea comes with crushed almonds. Keeping with the theme, only jaggery and honey are used to sweeten the teas.
Heads up : They have a killer chocolate mousse!!
The XVII Tea Room
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The teas at the XVII Tea Room are as exotic as the name suggests.This small and cozy tea room is all about interesting experiments with tea, both hot and iced.
Fruity and floral creations are its hallmark. The buttery Mulled Apple Tea is the perfect example, which leads you to discover a new flavor note with every sip. Another unique brew is the classic chai with an orange infusion. The floral blends have intelligently been coupled with green teas to highlight their delicate aroma. There are similar infusions with coffee, but the teas literally take the cake.
To accompany the exotic teas, this dedicated tea house has delectable accompanying bites – classic tea cakes, chocolate mouse and chocolate truffle with an assortment of exotic sauces. The Fig Almond and Orange Cream sauces are a must try.
Tip – Some of the creations are quite sweet, so choose carefully as per your taste.
