‘Chai’ with a twist
Nowadays, the trend of dhabas has taken Karachi by a storm. You! takes a look...
Many of us have grown up hearing about chai dhabas. They would come up in conversations where our male friends or colleagues would talk about the divine tea they had at a dhaba the night before. Or when our fathers would tell us about the fun times they had at dhabas with their friends when they were younger. The bottom line was, chai dhabas were places where men would gather to have amazing tea and chit chat for hours. However, this was an alien forbidden space for women who could never even dare to dream about having tea there. Most girls would wonder why they didn’t have the luxury of enjoying a cheap, yet tasty cup of doodh patti in a public space? The answer was simple, dhabas were a place for boys and it wasn’t safe for girls to be there. Luckily in current times, things have taken a drastic turn and now women finally have the freedom of ‘dhaba’ dining. How, you ask? Well, by introducing dhabas to the elite class that offered a space for families. The dhabas that have opened up currently are a modern take on what was once an average chai place solely for men. The dhabas of today are flooded with families, couples as well as groups of men and women. Read on to find out more.
The newbies that changed it all
Dhabas are roadside cafes that have their roots from Punjab and are said to be a way through which Punjabis would spread their culture in different regions. The dhabas were initially built up near highways to cater to the truck drivers but slowly the trend trickled into the urban areas. These places were recognised for their tea and other Punjabi food items including food as well as dessert.
In Karachi, it was only a few years back that dhabas like ‘Chai Master’ opened up in areas like Badar commercial. This tea place was recognised for its interesting menu items like ‘disco chai’ and the comfy and safe area that it was constructed in. Soon enough groups of friends began to gather there after college and would be seen lounging around for hours. Unfortunately, this place failed to attract a large number of girls and those who came would order tea in the car.
The next in line was ‘Gullu Butt’, a dhaba with an interesting decor, delicious chai and prices that evidently showed that the place was for the elite. The dhaba, located in Khadda market, Karachi, initially pulled in a large crowd of men and women but didn’t attract many families due to its location and the traffic that was caused around it. After all, it is difficult to enjoy your cup of tea in peace if cars are honking all around you. However, this dhaba venture made one thing clear; girls would also like to hang out at dhabas and all they need is a safe space away from the prying eyes of drivers and shopkeepers. Little did they know that their prayers were going to be answered with the launch of places like ‘Chai Wala’ and ‘Chai Shai’ in Karachi. These places are the ‘upscale’ dhabas of the city and are creating a buzz in town. These places are safe, spacious, aesthetically appealing and offer food to die for. And yes, you can sit outside and enjoy a cup of tea without the need of male supervision. Here’s a closer look into these dhabas.
Chai Wala: The brainchild of Aized Suharwardy and Hamza Usman, this dhaba located at Bukhari commercial is the ‘it’ spot nowadays. Following a truck art inspired theme, the dhaba has an exquisite and colourful eye catching decor. In places like these that are situated in an open ground near a road, it is difficult to decorate the venue as no decorative items can be placed anywhere. But owners in this case, thought out of the box and used other aspects of the space to add the decorative element. For instance, the shutters are painted with eagles and peacocks, all done in the truck art painting style. The kitchen and counter space has also been done in a picturesque way. Hence, everyone can spot the dhaba from far away and it’s the funky and colourful outlook that initially manages to pull in the customers. Even though, the seating area is constructed in an open space, the owners have incorporated the truck art theme into the tables and the chairs. Each table is painted differently and can be categorized as a piece of art. It is bright, it is creative and aesthetically awe inspiring. However, there’s more to Chai Wala then just the decor, the place gained immense popularity due to its unique menu which includes nutella paratha, pizza paratha, chicken achari paratha, Cadbury chai etc. Moreover, the quality of the food is amazing and all the dishes have a unique flavour. No wonder Karachiites never seem to get enough of this place!
Chai Shai: This dhaba was launched after gaining inspiration from the famous Chai Wala and has opened up right next to it. However, this tea place also managed to grab attention as it introduced a pop art theme. The owners picked a huge wall and painted on it actors like Waheed Murad, Shaan, Marilyn Monroe etc. The artistic wall also has interesting and witty quotes written like, ‘Mami bun, churail na bun’. The entire seating area of Chai Shai is laid out in front of this colourful wall. Even though, the table and chairs of this dhaba are not as artsy as Chai Wala as they have opted for simple plastic ones, the area still manages to stand out due to the adequate lighting. The best part about the place is that it has divided the setting into two areas and has a family area divided with a rope. Another new aspect that Chai Shai has brought with it is the introduction of ludo. Yes, they provide you with ludo free of cost and you can sit there with your friends for hours and play. The menu is the same with nutella parathas and pizza parathas as well as pani puri and milkshakes. What more could one ask for?
Overall, this move towards modern dhabas is proving to be a prosperous one which has introduced Karachiites not only to the experience of having tea in an open space, but also with an opportunity to bring families and friends closer together, whilst giving more freedom to girls at the same time. Having money issues? No problem, head to these dhabas and order yourself a nice cup of chai and enjoy the evening without having to spend an exorbitant amount.
Photography by Naqeeb-ur-Rehman
