LCB

Introduction

My lunchtime chai shop odyssey continues...but also ends here.

Sadly, I am moving away from Tooting, meaning I've run out of time to try all the chai shops at lunchtime. I couldn't keep up with their ever growing number. However, with a move out only to Wallington, Tooting is still within reach, so more Tooting reviews will hopefully be incoming.

This time it was a visit to the new franchise of Ashad Khan's Cafe Chai Wala, the second in the UK. For those, like me, who were previously unfamiliar with Mr Khan, he shot to fame in Pakistan when a photograph of him pouring chai went viral in 2016. This image and his acquired moniker of 'Chai Wala' form the brand and name of the chain of chai shops his fame has brought about.

This rags to riches story, I'm sure, mirrors the fortunes of many restauranteurs and local business people in Tooting so perhaps it's apt that it has been chosen as a site for international expansion.

Venue

Situated opposite the King's Head pub, Cafe Chai Wala's location is far from prime real estate (just ask the poor bloke who ran the Eritrean restaurant there before). However, the franchise's hype is likely to draw more of a crowd than its predecessor and early signs from walking past would support that.

Passers by are likely to be drawn in by the neon sign inside of Ashad Khan's signature chai-pouring pose. This iconography is prevalent throughout, but the version in the entrance takes the recent elevation in Tooting curry house interiors to new heights - it's within a waterfall! Not since Masaledar's waterfall (that remains in Spice Village) has a water feature caused such a splash - even with Dawat's mid-table-stream-waterfeature-thing creating waves.

Taking the steps up past the waterfall and the space opens up a little more to reveal even more exciting casual dining spaces and interior features. No expense has been spared, including a cascading teapot water feature and  bespoke embroidered insignia in furniture and table tops... and, of course, the now mandatory neon signage amidst fake greenery on the wall.

Cafe Chai Wala is taking on the highly competitive Tooting Chai Scene with a pretty impressive venue.

8/10

Sides and starters & Curry

Breakfast platter #3 (2 paratha, channa, halwa, achar, and shami kebab)

Generally, the menu here is a little unusual with burger, paratha and sandwich options. However, given this reflects hybrid Western-Asian menus at other similar joints, it might just be me who is out of touch. 

On this ocassion, it was just the one dish for me. It was lunch, so I opted for the breakfast platter #3 (of 4). I guess this was the Pakistani equivalent of the all-day, English fry-up! Instead of sausages I had a shami kebab, and for toast it was paratha.

The shami kebab was a rather dry, crumbly, eggy meat patty but tasted pretty good. This came with a channa (chickpea) curry that went well with the generous, dense paratha, long with the lime pickle achar - adding a sour tang to proceedings. This alll proved very filling - very apt for a breakfast. Finally, a pot of halwa - a traditional Indian dessert made from either semolina or carrots, nuts and cardamom - meant a sweet end to the meal.

All in all, I was well satiated, ready for a post-lunch sugar crash once back at work. I'd possibly have preferred a better bread to accompaniment ratio, but still enjoyed the new Pakistani breakfast experience.

14/10

Service

Like other chai shops locally, service isn't exactly quick here. Cafe Chai Wala, like others is fronted by one staff member (usually a young woman) who is very polite, but whatever is going on behind in the kitchen isn't that fast. I'd like to be believe that it means the food is freshly prepared (or at least cooked on order), and my experience so far seems to back that up. That said, on this ocassion, the family next to me (who ordered before me) were seemingly waiting for their meal still as I left. I worry what service would be like at busier times, even with more staff.

6/10

Value For Money

My platter was £9.99 which was pretty reasonable given the range of elements and how filling it was. Perusing the menu suggests other dishes could offer even more value, with burgers for under £5 and sandwiches under £4. However, parathas are a little more than that, so I guess it's a case of trial and see to find the best portion to price equation. What's not in doubt is there's plenty of options for smaller budgets which isn't something you often say these days.

7/10

Summary

I enjoyed my trip to Cafe Chai Wala, and was quite titilated by the interior features. In the space of a few years the Tooting scene has really upgraded in terms of dining experience and the trend continues here. Time will tell if Ashad Khan's image becomes as well known in Tooting as in Lahore, but he has certainly upped the stakes in the local water feature game. 

Walking past on a weekend and there were crowds inside which is a positive sign, not least due to it's less than ideal location, but whether I would return for the food is another question. Certainly, Naan Staap is my current favourite, but would have to try the parathas here to see if they top Cha Sha's.

35/50