Chai Kadai, below Al Faham restaurant, Kovalan muthu st, Periamet

There's nothing like a good tea (chayya) after a satisfying meal but this particular tea-shop needs a visit just for its tea. Caught it while passing through Kovalan Muthu st. The place is run directly below Al faham restuarant which has a take-away and dine-in here. Thought it was the usual tea shop until I noticed the classic copper samovar slowly heating tea powder n water. Did not see any name board so calling it Chai kadai for now!

The glass is stained with the tea concentrate that's been dripped into the milk. It looks messy but it's just dried up tea concentrate!  Dried bcoz of the hot contents inside.

Price: Rs 10 per tea.

There was a small crowd gathered waiting for the young tea master to begin making the next batch of tea. There was a big vessel of milk boiling in the room behind and they skimmed the cream off the boiling milk to prepare tea with. 

A number of small glasses were suddenly placed on the counter and the tea-master deftly dripped the black tea concentrate into the scalding hot milk like a skilled bartender doling out tequila shots in a row. A nice scene to behold when you know you're going to taste it very soon. Quantity is perfect not too much but just right. The black tea forms a layer above the milk and makes you wonder if it would taste uniform. You can ask them to mix it up or you can have it without mixing. It was delicious even without mixing since the concentrate wasn't too bitter and mellowed by the correctly sweetened milk. Of course, I had more than just one glass.