Once inside, the tea bar is what catches your attention - warm, inviting especially since you can also take a look at a tempting range of snacks stacked tall in glass jars on the wall and in the display unit. The seating at the cafe can have around 60 people, perfectly happily perched on cushioned stools, high chairs, sofas, mesh back chairs and waaaait for it... swings! Yup... I don't have a picture of the swings to share with you - but then come on - I need to give you something that you can look forward to seeing on your own.

The architects of Tata Cha had 1200 sqft of space to convert into this cafe and had some odd spaces to work with - considering it was once a classic styled home. Each of these corners have been smartly converted into a welcoming space...

Up here to the left you see how the corners and silhouettes are so characteristic of home - and have been converted into a huddle corner where a group can easily settle down. Who said the L-shape approach is meant only for those modular kitchens!

And then you have this cute space atop a two-step elevation - perfect for that selfie that is now pretty much mandatory and quite the spot to snag when you are sitting down with your cup of tea.

Now that you know how cool this can be... let's explore the menu and teas now a bit shall we?

Your chai will come in one of these glasses. Tata Teas have done their homework when it comes to the curation of their tea menu. With more than 100 tea experiences garnered from across the country and cultures that love their teas, almost everyone will find something that they will instantly identify with.

The tea menu is split into Steaming Hot, Icy Cold and Specialty Origin Tea. And what's really good is that for someone like me who loves to munch of something with her chai, there is so much to choose from.

Let's start with the Dunkers. By and large a concept that has been part of any chai drinkers habitual cup, it has never really found its way sit-down cafe setting before. Tata Cha has scoured the country for top favourites and that's why in the lovely glass jars you see the likes of a crunchy, flaky Methi Khari, which teams up beautifully with a Classic Kadak Chai; the same can be said for the Masala Rusk which has a spicy after taste and dunks beautifully into a Masala Chai; the Kulfi Sticks with their sesame seed dusting are quite neutral in terms of flavour, making them a great option for just about any tea - but I would pick the Extra Doodh Chai to go with it; and if your tastes match mine, then the Cinnamon Rusk, its sweetness complemented by a generous cinnamon dusting is what you want to end on. All of the Dunkers are served in twos and your Chais are available in standard and large sizes.

If you want some long forgotten memory of childhood to be invoked thanks your tea - all you need to do is order from the Black Tea section - A Nimbu Da or Chatpata Churan and team that up with some Cream rolls and Kulfi Sticks. The Cream Rolls alone will take you back to those long lines spent at the school canteen or that dilapidated tuck shop outside school, with pocket money to pick some cones up.

Try some of the Fruity Cake with the Gur Chai or even the Gulkhand Chai if you feel like mixing it up a bit and getting all experimental. Some interesting food-meets-tea experiences to be had there.
Now what is really interesting about the food menu here at Tata Cha is that it is not all about the small eats. There may be a time when you will want something heavier - that doesn't really constitute finger food, yet is far from being a meal. At such times you can pair your a Classic Green or Peach Flavoured Green tea with some Chakri Samosas. Pretty to look at and very satisfying to pick apart and eat.

Another Chai warmth memory inducer (if I may have the privilege of concocting these terms), is the Adda Veg Cutlet. Thick, tear-drop shaped and packed to the gills with all that mummy would be very happy with, this is a mouthful that pairs especially well with some Assam Tea. 

Also on the menu is the classic Maharashtrian Dabeli, which is made with wheat pav if that makes you feel better about indulging - this with some of their Nilgiri Chai and I am a very sorted human being. What's not to love in a good Dabeli - the textures of soft, crunchy, crispy and the punch of the mint chutney can bring together some real magic.

Specialty Origin Sikkim tea with some Dal Pakwan would be a great pairing. A Sindhi breakfast staple, you can break the rules a bit and indulge in this with your morning or afternoon break chai or simply because you have a hankering for it. The maida puris are in plain and masala versions and the dal itself thicky, creamy and very satisfying in terms of spicing. The thick tamarind chutney served alongside packs that additional punch.

And, a first as far as I see it, Tata Cha has introduced the concept of plated meals for one that can be paired with your chai - So you could try the Veg (Picture above) or Chicken Stew with steamed rice - with some Kadak chai. You could also go with the Butter Chicken (Below) or Paneer Makhani Khichdi with a tea of your choice (Psst... I would go with the Nimbu Da). The menu also features an amazing Muttar Kulchas, with the kulchas being very reminiscent of a road trip up in the hills up North.

While we waited for the first dishes of our meal to arrive out the table, we were served some gorgeous Chicken Liver Pate, with Melba toast and two kinds tomato relishes. The layer of fat that is evenly spread over the top of the pate. The little arugula leaves on the side complete the wooden platter. Put them altogether the way you like and in proportions that you prefer. And while you have been putting together your toast, if you have been staring at the Arnie and Pineapple wallpaper and wondering what the heck was ol' granny thinking, then a bite into the pate is going to make the answer irrelevant. Its smooth, its rich, it has depth and it is sinful.

The Grilled Figs and Goat Cheese came to the table next. Crispy bruschetta smeared generously with goat cheese and then topped off with sliced, grilled figs. Freshly crushed black pepper and light drizzle of pomegranate balsamic completes this dish. Every bite gives you a multitude of textures - from crunchy, to soft, to a slightly grainy bite from the figs and the smooth coating of your mouth with the goat cheese. The flavors combine mild tartness, to a hint of sweet and a little bit of heat from the pepper. Sounds good? It was!

I love Ceviche and this Seafood Ceviche did not disappoint - with prawn, calamari and some seabass chunks, well marinated in lemon base, balanced with some nice chili and coriander in a base of cucumber water. The Caraway crisps add a lovely texture to Ceviche. A bowl of happiness this is.

Pulled Pork Taco - Its well marinated pork in a coffee BBQ sauce (which is an interesting combination), pulled out into juicy sheds, topped off with some pickled onions, with some jalapenos for that touch of heat and to soothe it down some ricotta cheese with chives. Not top of the charts for me, mainly perhaps because of the coffee element (not a fan of coffee), but makes for a nice, hot gooey snack.

Pork Chops - now this pork rendition on the other hand skyrocketed all the way to the top. Perfectly crispy crackling, moist meat, all of which is placed on some julienned radish. A very wholesome dish and does pays perfect obeisance to porcine Gods.


Among the main courses was the Salmon Udon - Indian Salmon marinated in Miso and ginger and then placed on a bed of butter tossed house made Udon with some crunchy green veggies thrown in.A hearty heal this one, especially if you like udon. The fish was treated really well, with the textures of crispy skin, moist flaky flesh

Raan and Gnocchi - Ramen Noodle Gnocchi with Rajasthani style pulled raan, tomato and onion seed chutney. Now this a fusion dish if there ever was one. I believe the gnocchi was pan finished, though I did not think it needed that. The Indian touch to it worked for me, mainly because of the textures and the spices, but purists and especially those who like their Italian and their Indian kept separate, will find this an experiment.

Desserts were really great and we began with the Walnut Pie - a handmade pie crust filled with walnuts, chocolate chips and cinnamon served up with vanilla bean ice cream. I deconstructed the dessert and had each element on its own. Loved them all separate, loved them all together and that vanilla bean ice cream is spot on!

Always love a good experiment and also love jackfruit, so this Jackfruit Halwa with cashew, pistachio and rice with khari puff, vanilla ice cream and mustard oil (though am not quite sure where this last element found space on the plate). I loved the jackfruit halwa and the khari biscuit was a great balance to the grainy sweet texture

We next had the Polynesian Baked Poisson - marinated fish in banana leaves - made with Basa, which I don't generally care much for, but this one had taken to the marination rather well. That is one of the saving grace traits of Basa, that it works very well in the right hands and it most certainly did here. Each parcel opens up to a steaming chunk of fish that is covered in a lightly spiced and seasoned marinade. The salad that accompanied it and most dishes after this had a special touch to it - house made potato sticks that did not turn soggy, even if you got to your salad towards the end of the dish. And the pink streaks across the plate is a beetroot mayo also made in house. Nice little touches to dishes here.

We saw the Herb Cheese Stuffed Mushroom on the menu and decided on it. What came were herb and cheese stuffed mushrooms that were encased in a bread cover that is crumb fried, sliced and served with a chilli mayo dip. While the herb stuffed mushrooms were great on their own, the bread casing ended up being a little too thick for us to completely enjoy the mushrooms. And so we picked them from the casing and had them. We shared our feedback with the kitchen and they did mention that they would consider another approach.

We next had the Honey Mustard Chicken - Sudhakar can vouch for the fact that I get regular urges for something hot, gooey, spicy and chicken - this is that one dish that I will always think about when I have the urge next. Fried chicken wings, served up in a honey mustard sauce that packs a good deal of flavour in every bite. You ave to dive in with your fingers with this one to enjoy it thoroughly. We did! and took our own sweet time too. The apple and carrot julienne salad that accompanies it gives added crunch and texture to the dish.
Another drink on the cards for us - The Forbidden Island - this A four alcohol wonder with Vodka, White Rum, Gin, Brandy, Apple Juice and Red Bull. Its called Forbidden Island perhaps for the mix of alcohols, but it is done with a great deal of attention to balance and flavour and is a drink you can nurse.

So now that it was Sudhakar's birthday and we politely refused to have a cake cut (birthday boy didn't want to make a big deal of his birthday), we were encouraged to celebrate in the next best way - SHOTS!! Now I don't really know the names of the two shots that we had but Victor, my man, they were good ones!


 We did make room for one pizza, which you should too if you are there. The Chicken and Mushroom with pesto and spinach is what we had and it was a wonderful thin crust pizza, with a some great topping. Make the room, you won't regret it.

A Chocolate brownie with ice cream to wrap things up and it was a good way to spend the afternoon on Sudax's birthday.

The ambience at Three Dots is great for those who like a long session of good food and drink, with some good music playing. A meal for two hits the Rs 2500 category. The loos are clean.

Three Dots and Dash
Address: 840/1, 100ft road, Metro Pillar, 56-57, Indiranagar
Telephone: 080-39515401
Cuisine: Pub Grub, Hawaiian
Accepts cards: Yes
Valet: Yes
You can get directions here

Now that 'its the most wonderful time of the year' and you are of course making the most of it because 'its the season to be jolly', you may be ODing on all the goodies that are so intrinsic to this holiday season. But what if I were to tell you that there is something going on in the city that definitely must have your attention? Its a festival, its different and will certainly give you that lovely savory respite your stomach may actually be craving for before C-Day.

The Fatty Bao at Indiranagar is currently hosting a Bao Festival - 14 varieties of Baos to choose from - each of them a treat sandwiched in between soft, slightly sweet baos - 2 to a portion so that you can share with a friend and try more than just the one. Or of course, if you would rather not share, then two can do just the trick! We were invited to a sampling of these baos as well as a few of the new additions on the Fatty Bao menu.

We began with 7 of the baos at one go - a collection of choices from everyone at the table. I had my share of baos accompanied with the Wasabi Drop - a drink that packs quite the punch of wasabi with a nice twist of Gin and ginger juice, with egg white and lemon. A great way to begin the meal. Here is a look at some of the baos that we shared. We also ordered a round of our favorite picks so that we didn't have to share!

The simplest of descriptions often manage to catch our eyes and that is why these two vegetarian baos made their way to the table. Upfront is the Fried Eggplant Bao with finely sliced miso marinated fried eggplant, kimchi and sriracha sauce. I love my eggplant fried to a nice little crisp and with the little twang from the kimchi and the sweetness of the bao, this was one of my first picks. The Cheesy Kimchi Potato is what you see behind and is exactly what the description says it is with a generous dusting of Korean Chilli Powder and Scallions. Without even beginning on the meat options, these were already my two favorites.


Next up was the Roasted Duck Bao - tender, hand pulled duck meat, with the crunch of cucumber and some scallions to finish it off. Because the four of us wanted a taste of each of the baos, we cut each one in half. Every one of them yielded gently to the butter knife without even a hint of a struggle - meat or vegetable filling immaterial. The Roast Duck especially was a delight to cut through and of course eat!

Japanese tempura meets sushi meets bao in this Wasabi Fish Bao that has crispy fried seabass topped off with wasabi sauce, gari (pickled ginger) and fried garlic and Schichimi. While the crispy coated flaky fish was great, it is the crunch of deliciously fried garlic that this bao that superlative kick. Another pick from the lot for me.

The Chickpea and Wild Mushroom Bao - very reminscent of a Falalel in a Bao, but nice. There were a few other baos we tried that certainly call for your attention - The Char Siu Bao with Pork Belly and Kimchi Apples for one. Another one - the Beef Cheeks Bao is melt-in-cheeks soft and needs only your lips to tease away and the Pulled Pork Bao which gets my vote too.

Absolute Vanilla and Kurant with a hint of cardomom and melon is what makes up the Hello Moto which was my second drink


 As if the Baos were not enough, we also helped ourselves to some of the new offerings on menu. My pictures don't do justice to the prettiness of the Tuna Nigiri with Soy and Yuzu glaze. Each mouthful was made better with the soy and yuzu glaze - the tuna could have been slightly firmer, but that did not take away from the taste for me. Be warned, each portion of nigiri is generously lined with wasabi, so you may want to go easy on what is provided on the side. The Brie with Pickled Plum Nigiri (below) was another delightful addition to the Fatty Bao menu.