A chai bar in Montreal
Welcome to Bristol Chai! A project that brings together the social ambiance of a bar or cafe with, of course, tea.
Chai is a blend of tea, spices, milk and sugar that originates in India where it is served day and night, on every street corner. This warm and spicy drink is simmered, stirred and seasoned on the spot with care, skill and recipes that have often been passed on from generation to generation.
Think of a barista: measuring time and ingredients to make you your perfect cup of coffee. At Bristol Chai, it is the Chai Master using his skill and experience to prepare a warm, spicy brew for you just the way you like it. Back in India stopping in at the chai stall is often a chance for a friendly chat with the chai vendor and other passers by. So why not take a seat at the bar while our Chai Master fixes you the chai of your choice from his copper cauldrons. Perhaps indulge in our freshly baked homemade pastries or snacks from the kitchen.
We will offer this time-honored tradition of chai in the spirit it was meant to be served.This is not new to us, our knowledge of blending, preparing and serving chai goes back almost 20 years. For those that have enjoyed a Monday night chai at the Camellia Sinensis Teahouse you know all about it. The same team has been working hard to blend the recipes that Bristol Chai will offer.
We are on the corner of Prince Arthur and Clark, a small park in front and the bustle of St Laurent just metres away. A perfect space for the project. All glass facade, high ceilings, bright and spacious. Kitchen in the back to prepare freshly baked goodies and fresh lunches. Window seating or, for the full chai bar experience, seating at the bar. The centrepiece will be the U shaped bar tying the design together as a hub for the action. At the ‘prow’ of the bar the pots will be bubbling away and each chai will be mixed to order in front of you. All the fun of a cocktail bar without the hangover.
we have been developing our selection of chai recipes for a good while now with delicious, fresh and organic ingredients. Each of the 5 recipes has a very different character to chose from. Which will it be today?
With $10 000 we can buy good quality kitchen and bakery equipment. Specifically an oven and very specific induction pots for the preparation of our chais.
With $17 000 we can have local cabinet makers build the beautiful U shaped bar that we have been dreaming about. Seating 6-8 people and housing much of the specialized equipment we need.
With $24 000 not only can we get the Chai Bar up and running but we will have a budget to send our products out into the World for larger scale distribution. All part of the plan…
The story begins in at Camellia Sinensis, a tea company specializing in the selection and import of fresh, seasonal and rare teas from around the World. For years in their Montreal teahouse Gabriel held his very popular Chai Nights every Monday and often heard from the clients that they wanted to drink good chai all week. So that got Gabriel thinking…’I should open a chai bar in Montreal’.
The stars seemed aligned as he was already working with some serious tea specialists. The four tasters of Camellia Sinensis: Hugo, Jasmin, François and Kevin who thought it was a great idea and are enthusiastically backing the project with their knowledge and many years of experience, an enormous advantage for the Bristol Chai.
Make sure to visit our facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/BristolChai/