I remember Mary once said:
There is no better-tasting chai than the chai served on the India roadside chai stall.
So, even before the Indian trip, I begged Fafa to stop at the roadside chai stall if we see any during the trip. It turned out there was an abundance of roadside chai stalls in Alleppey. But Fafa being Fafa, he was hesitant for me to sit elbow to elbow with lungi (South Indian sarong) wearing uncles drinking chai.
So he offered an alternative: the fancier version of roadside chai stalls, chai stalls with Instagram accounts. TBH, it was not what I had in mind for an authentic roadside chai experience in India – but it was already close to midnight and we were leaving the next day so I agreed to a “hipster” roadside chai stall.
Chai Wallah – Alleppey Roadside Chai Stall’s Chai
Bro-in-law was kind enough to drive us around before finally stopping at a stall named Chai Wallah. Well, at least the name seemed authentic.
The menu was pretty extensive and comparable to Melbourne chai stalls. It even had Lavender Chai on it, which I was tempted for a split second. But then I reminded myself, I was in India, seeking an authentic chai experience and asked for a cup of masala chai instead.
While our chai was being prepared, I took in the surrounding. A busy road with crazy traffic on my left side, a possibly haunted bungalow on the right side and a few street dogs within the perimeters.
It seemed good enough for a semi-authentic chai experience.
The chai came in a typical clear chai glass that I had seen plenty of times in Indian movies, which delighted me. I took a sip. The chai has a perfect density, not watery but not too thick as the chai I used to in Melbourne. It’s also smooth, with no trace of dregs which I seemed unable to get rid of even after straining my homemade chai multiple times. And the spices work well together with not one overpowering another – common problem I found when drinking chai from the chai shops in Australia.
I am not going to say it was the best chai I had in my life, just because I didn’t take the necessary time to savour it. But it could just be one of the best cups of chai I have ever had and Fafa agreed.
I need to make another stop here, or at an authentic roadside chai stall in India, to confirm whether it’s really the best-tasting chai ever, which won’t be a problem since it was just five minutes away from my in-laws.
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