Brewing some aromatic tea

Tucked away in a small corner in Jayanagar, ‘4th Tea Block’, a tea joint, has found a soft spot among the tea drinkers living in the neighbourhood.

Run by G Lokesh Raj, the tea joint was a dream come true for the young entrepreneur. Hailing from a family of jewellers, Lokesh felt that he too would join the family business. But fate had other plans for this youngster, who runs the store during the day and heads to evening college during the night.

Says Lokesh, “Everything changed for me when I started having green tea. I used to be apprehensive about the taste. But then I was hooked on it and got very involved in different kinds of teas from across the world. I wanted to share that knowledge with people. That’s when I decided to open this tea joint.”

The joint, painted green on the inside, has few small tables placed in an around the place and with the help of his friends, Lokesh makes aromatic tea. One can try the jasmine tea, tulsi tea, pepper mint, berries or even the normal milk tea. However, a cup of masala chai is a crowd favourite.

A must have is the ‘Soursop Green Tea’. This green tea comes without the bitter after taste. It’s fragrant in a citrus kind of way, and tastes as good as it smells. “This is basically a Sri Lankan green tea. I have sourced tea from China, London, Japan, Cape Town and Australia; from friends and contacts. The tea from each country has a different taste,” he explains.

But before one thinks that the place may be expensive, a quick look at the menu would inform that everything on it is within Rs 50, depending on the kind of tea one is ordering. The customers at the place like the joint for its variety and feel that the price is value for money as they get to taste quality stuff. “One can’t categorise it as a regular chai place. It’s for the health conscious and Lokesh really pays attention to the quality of the tea,” says Pramod, a customer.

If it’s unique flavour what one is looking for then the ‘flowering tea’ is another item one should try. Served only in the pot, this tea costs around Rs 300 for a pot but is certainly a good pick for a group of friends. “I came across this form of tea thanks to a friend of mine, who serves this at a high-end hotel.

This is a tea that is packaged in a tightly furled ball that uncurls when the tea is placed in hot water. It blooms into a flower adding colour to the teapot. Not many people know about this one, so I keep just a handful of these at the store and serve it to those who like to experiment. The taste is very different,” he explains.

Apart from this, Lokesh also keeps few accompaniment like biscuits, muffins and puffs that go great with the tea. So for those who thought tea was a boring drink, this little joint will surely change your mind.

‘4th Tea Block’ is located at No. 663, 34th Cross, 11th Main, Jayanagar 4th Block.