A New Cuisine on King Street: Chai & Chutney Review

The Chai & Chutney sign on King Street, the restaurant is owned by the same family that owns Mint Indian Cuisine in another part of town.

Brayden Howard, Sports Desk Lead for The Powderhorn

Chai & Chutney is a new Indian street food restaurant which opened on October 28 in downtown Boone. The restaurant serves all sorts of different Indian and Indian-inspired dishes in a cozy fast-casual atmosphere. I ventured to the new restaurant with a couple of friends on Sunday, November 1. I ordered the masala dosa and a mango lassi to drink.

 The dosa is a large crispy crepe that has been folded over and stuffed with spiced potatoes. The dish had a wonderful and powerful flavor on its own, but it also came with 3 dipping sauces to choose from. One was a flavorful broth or soup containing various spices and peppers. Despite its ingredients, it maintained a pleasantly mild spice level. The second sauce provided was a curry-like dip that tasted somewhat akin to tikka massala. It’s flavor was much more muted, but still pleasant, with a slightly nutty or vegetable-like taste. The final dip in the selection was similar to soft yogurt or possibly cottage cheese that had pepper mixed into it. Its flavor was faint, and I found its texture off-putting. It was easily my least favorite of the three, though the other two dips were delightful. The dosa was one of the more expensive items on the menu, being $15, but easily satisfying as a dinner.

Two of my friends ordered a dish called a naanza, a fusion dish that is essentially a flatbread pizza made with traditional Indian toppings and a crust of naan bread. We got one lamb naanza, and one chicken naanza. The respective proteins were relatively bland and difficult to taste, but the rest of the naanza was delicious. Its various sauces and toppings created a wonderfully diverse array of flavors, making up for the lack of seasoning on the meat itself. The naanza would be a great option for a quick lunch break or afternoon snack. It cost a reasonable $11, and the portion size was just right for one person.

The two drinks ordered by our group were a mango lassi and a Thums Up Cola. The mango lassi is a popular drink made from mango puree and yogurt to create a sweet, creamy smoothie. It’s crisp, refreshing, and absolutely delicious. Thums Up Cola on the other hand is a coca-cola product typically only sold in India and surrounding countries. It has a flavor similar to classic Coke, but with a slightly peppery or even spicy flavor. Both drinks were good, but the lassi was more expensive, being $5, where the cola was only $3. Despite this, I would say the lassi was still the superior option and would recommend it to anyone going to the restaurant.

Chai & Chutney is a casual environment that includes an ordering counter and a seat yourself style on the inside, with additional seating offered on a brick patio. The food was great, and the beverages were equally delicious. My meal of a dosa and lassi came out to a total of about $21, which I thought was a bit pricey for just one person. Overall, the quality and speed with which the food arrived kept me from being too bothered by that price. I would rate Chai & Chutney highly and intend to go back again soon.