A new Café on the block
Restaurant: Tea Halt
Reviewer: Mukti Agarwal | 27th February 2016 | Reviewer Rating (Out of 5) 4.00

I have never been much of tea drinker until off late. The pressure of speaking (read screaming-to-be-heard) with 5 to 9 year olds in my language classes on a daily basis has made me succumb to this Oh-so-calming-my-nerves drink and I find myself yearning for a good cuppa sometimes. This search led me to the newly opened café ‘Tea Halt’ in Galleria. Only a month since it opened its doors to the junta in this location (they have a few others in operation at other places), this joint has already garnered an appreciative customer base. So having heard some good stuff about the place I decided to land up there on ‘Valentine’s Day’.

The first thing that crosses your mind when you enter the café is how spacious it is which is mostly unheard of in a place like Galleria where the high rentals force the eatery owners to cram up as many tables as possible in really small spaces. So I sat down for the exploration journey and scanned the menu.

The head chef, jai Prakash, was gracious  enough to take me through the menu and suggested I try out their ‘Nawabi Kesaiya Tea’ (Rs. 59) which I happily ordered and then also asked for the quintessential ‘Adrak Tulsi Tea’ (Rs.49) which on a regular basis is my favourite. The tea arrived piping hot, served in faux kulhads which gave it a nostalgic feel. The former had a strong aroma of saffron and the flavour too was just right. However the latter missed the zing of the tulsi as well as adrak. I could have done with it being a tad bit stronger.

To accompany the tea I tried the ‘Chaat Papdi Shots’ (Rs.99) and the ‘Pakoda Platter’ (Rs.99). The chaat papdi shots were nice and crispy but a bit sweet for my palate. I suggested to the chef to add some coriander chutney to the recipe as that would give it the much needed kick and the feedback was taken very well. Also suggested to make the serving dish a bit smaller as looking at it my first reaction was ‘Do I get only that much?”, only to realize in that instant that the quantity was not too bad but the sheer size of the platter made it seem so. The Pakoda platter consisted of six mix vegetable pakodas served hot and crisp partnering the hot cup of tea well. Surprisingly there was absolutely no residual oil on the hands after eating them.

               Chaat Papdi Shots                             Pakoda Platter

Next I tried out the ‘Cheesy Garlic Bread’ (Rs.129) which was exceptional. Super fresh bread baked to a perfect crunch loaded with just the right amount of cheese. Totally loved it ! The ‘Chicken wings’ (Rs.149) that followed did not look very appetising and I was wary of sampling them but once I did, I couldn’t stop. This dish was a prime example of ‘food that doesnt look appetising, can be !! The flavour was top notch and permeated through to the innermost layers of the chicken.

           Cheesy Garlic Bread                                   Chicken wings

Then came the ‘Gourmet Italiano’ (Rs.389 for a 12” pizza). It looked appetizing with beautiful colours that one can visually feast on. The crust was crisp and fresh with ample toppings. But after the yummy chicken wings it felt a bit tame on the palate. The ‘Creamy Mushroom Pasta’ (Rs.299) was well made. The sauce was flavourful and although seemed less for the amount of pasta on the plate, it worked alright.

               Gourmet Italiano                            Creamy Mushroom Pasta

The ‘Banana Oatmeal Shake’ (Rs.119) was nice with the taste of oat and banana both coming through and the right amount of sweetness. I ordered a ‘Café Latte’ (Rs.89) to wash it all down as I prepared for the main courseJ. A decent cup indeed.

       Banana Oatmeal Shake                          Cafe Latte

The main course of ‘Grilled Fish’ (Rs.499) was totally yummy. I would have exchanged the accompanying rice for a creamy potato mash but as per the chef since they were presenting it as a main dish, they wanted it to have rice as an accompaniment. Not complaining as the fish was grilled beautifully and the sauce on top was creamy, buttery and peppery with a dash of lime in it. I was a happy person after this.

                                  Grilled Fish

To round of the wholesome evening I ordered the ‘Kulfi Mithai Sundae’ (Rs.149). It was a mixture of a kulfi ice cream with gulaab jamun bits and crushed boondi laddoo. Definitely innovative but not necessarily up everyone’s alley.

        Kulfi Mithai Sundae

 

 

Ratings (Out of 5)                                                          

Food: 4.0 | Ambience: 4.0 | Service: 4.0 | Value: 4.0 | Overall: 4.0

Meal for two: Rs. 1000-1200 (including mains) | Alcohol: No | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel chair friendly: Yes

Address: Galleria, DLF Phase IV, Gurgaon

Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant to taste their food, and no bill was presented to the author. While the author assures you of objectivity, the review may be influenced by the personalized attention received.

About the Author
Mukti Agarwal Mukti Agarwal
Restaurant Information
Tea Halt Tea Halt
SG-17, Ground Floor, Opposite City Club, DLF Galleria, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon
Telephone: 011 33105114 view on a map
Opening Hours: 11 AM to 11 PM
Cuisine: , Italian, Cafe
Average Price: Rs. 400 - 500