New Concord chai and street-food house juggles charcoal and kettles

"Spiced and often milky chai is popular throughout the South Asian subcontinent, and here appears in multiple forms. There is strong chai with warm spices (karak), smooth and comforting chai (cardamom) and creamy chai with floral notes (saffron). Pink-hued Kashmiri chai that you'll often find at Pakistani establishments is here, as is traditional masala and jaggery chai (the latter named for its unrefined cane sugar)."

"The drinks menu also includes shakes blended with sumptuous-sounding mix-ins like Desi mango, brown-sugar Biscoff cookies and dates and khoya, a form of thickened milk. There are fruit lassis and smoothies and herbal teas, and a selection of refreshers that incorporate fizzy and fruity flavors. Kettles are one side of the operation; smoky charcoal is the other. Hungry diners can dig into a number of wraps stuffed with fillings like spice-marinated barbecue chicken or grilled beef called bihari boti."

"Many of these are nestled in flaky paratha flatbread, and there are vegetarian options with paneer or dessert variations with Nutella and subtly sweet/buttery sheermal. Fusion dishes heavy in carbs and flavor might appeal to the late-night crowd. There are masala fries and peri-peri fries, rubbed in the smoky spice blend, and burgers inspired by chapli kababs or the flavors of Burns Road, a historic street-food mecca in Karachi."

Chai & Co. opened in late November at 2115 Pacheco St., near Todos Santos Plaza, in the former spot of the Lettuce Inn. The cafe specializes in spiced, often milky South Asian chai served in varieties such as karak, cardamom, saffron, Kashmiri, masala and jaggery. The drinks menu includes shakes with Desi mango, brown-sugar Biscoff, dates and khoya, plus fruit lassis, smoothies, herbal teas and fizzy fruit refreshers. Food offerings feature charcoal-grilled wraps with barbecue chicken or bihari boti, flaky parathas, paneer options, masala and peri-peri fries, chapli-inspired burgers, samosa chaat, bhel puri, gol gappay and desserts like gulab jamun and shahi falooda.

Read at www.mercurynews.com