Chai Thali Indian Street Food Bar & Restaurant (Bar, Restaurant)

Top 10 things to know about Chai Thali:
 
1) Tucked away down a cobbled mews, this restaurant near Camden Town Tube station draws in families and tourists at lunchtime, and is brimming with creative young professionals in the evening. Approach at dusk, and the venue sneaks up as you clink down the cobbles.

2) The owner, Ali, an accomplished Indian caterer for events, has now turned his hand to street food in the stylish Chai Thali setting. This restaurant is not his first successful Camden offering.

3) Chai Thali is just as much a cocktail bar as it is a restaurant. Ali offers up an intriguing cocktail menu to kick off with. The menu fits the bill for the local workers who enjoy an after-work tipple. 

4) The chai spiced mojito scores a strong 10 out of 10 for decoration, but its overwhelming sweetness calls for a subsequent change in flavour. Time to order food! The lamb chaat samosa, highlighted on the small plates menu, combats the cocktail’s sweetness. 

5) Chai Thali’s colourful menu fuses India’s street food heritage with a vibrant street food setting.

6) To reinforce the Indian street food heritage, each booth is named after a Indian city. A bold Union Jack is painted in the colours of India’s national flag, covering one wall. The dim lighting, scattered booths and exposed brick surroundings create an upbeat social eating experience.
 
7) Don’t be shy when it comes to ordering small plates. Try as many as you can because they all complement each other. The jheenga koliwada are seriously tasty; light batter, deep fried fresh prawns. Go easy on the chilli mayo; Chai Thali does not hold back on chilli sprinklings!
 
8) The vegetarian daal fry (a mixture of lentils cooked dhaba style) is a great way to balance the spicy flavours. Try this with a side of the Bhai's lamb; a delicious recipe passed down from their forefathers in Punjab!

9) The gaajar halwa is perhaps a bit too exotic for British palates. The texture of the grated carrots does not really work with the sweetness of the milk and vanilla ice cream.

10) Chai Thali also offers a lunch menu until 3pm. If you’re mooching around the Camden Markets, stop by for a £4 mince lamb burger and a sunny sin-free cocktail. ...read more