We tried the standard chai latte in 15 coffee places in different parts of Prague. If we imagine the average size of the cup 2.5 decilitres, each of us drank almost 4 liters of chai. (I'll elegantly avoid the calculation for the wine...) The average price was 66.80 CZK (2.60 EUR), which means both me and Alba paid a bit above 1000 crowns (40 euros) for our chais. Quite a reasonable investment into spicing up our winter, I'd say.
The average score was 45 points out of 60, the lowest being 32 and the highest 51.5. None of the places has achieved the full score. We have a winner and two cafes on the second place.
And who is the best of the best?
Congratulations, Alchymista! After the chai-test was finished and we knew who the winner was, we went there recently to check whether we were not too enthusiastic in our scores or had impacted judgement due to the winter winds freezing our brains. Alchymista proved itself again to be a quiet oasis with a lovely garden (we could now enjoy sitting there - oh hello, spring!). They had that cake I can eat (and hell yeah I had a piece!), they had a more colorful and creamier cake Alba could enjoy, the rosé was great, the service attentive and kind. Alchymista is a place where you can take your date (but please, take there only the special ones), your Mom (there is something classical, calming about the place) or your close friend you want to have a nice conversation with. With or without a cup of chai.
Spicy greetings also to our silver medalists. BOHO with its lovely cozy atmosphere, original interior and carefully selected decorations and details and just the nicest owners, will always have a special place in our hearts. Oh, is it already espresso-tonic season?
And Cobra, the vibrant cafe in Holešovice which offers great food and nice drinks served by the friendly staff which somehow manages not to get lost in the tumult of the place. A place where you definitely won't be bored!
NOW, SOME FAQs - THINGS YOU WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK
I compiled some questions people were curious about and asked me regarding the chai-test. Both of us answered, as always, separately and not knowing what the other would write. Keepin' the style until the very end.
What are your first impressions, emotions, memories which come on your mind now that the chai-test is over?
A: It's a bittersweet feeling because on one hand I'm sad that our test is over, but on the other one it means that spring is here and with it the best part of the year! :) This was a different winter for me for many reasons and I will remember it as the Chai Winter. :) Also, I don't think I will ever be able to have a chai latte again without carefully analyzing its different parts and flavors. :D
M: I’m happy we followed this through, I enjoyed testing, writing and especially the fact that I was lucky to co-operate with someone else in our own little project. It's great Alba agreed to do this with me together and co-operated until the end. It's nowadays quite tough to find people to work with who share the same excitement for something on a long-term basis, not just during the first few days and I'm grateful for Alba dedicating her time and words to our test. My feelings are not really mixed, I am excited I can write this wrap-up article and I’m happy that publishing this means that winter is over, at least for a few months. If you’re having your own issues with winter, its short days and coldness, I highly recommend establishing such a positive habit or good routine. This chai-testing contributed to my personal #makewinterbearableagain goal and made my winter indeed much better.
Would you change any of your scores?
M: No, not really. I gave all the scores based on my best judgement and I tried to be fair even if there would have been room for some complaining (or serious bitchin').
A: YES!! During this time I have been feeling very guilty about my scores for Kavárna, co hledá jméno and now I can finally relieve my conscience! That was a very good chai but, being the first one that we tried, the lack of comparison to other chais made my scores more neutral. I'm sure if we would have tried this chai later I would have given it a higher score, as I can still remember how it had a really lasting spicy flavor. Every time we tried a chai that I thought was somehow worse than this one, but still good, I felt remorseful about giving a 7 to Kavárna instead of an 8.
During the chaimpionship, did you have a chai latte
somewhere else by yourself? Was it good?
M: No, not really. I gave all the scores based on my best judgement and I tried to be fair even if there would have been room for some complaining (or serious bitchin').
A: YES!! During this time I have been feeling very guilty about my scores for Kavárna, co hledá jméno and now I can finally relieve my conscience! That was a very good chai but, being the first one that we tried, the lack of comparison to other chais made my scores more neutral. I'm sure if we would have tried this chai later I would have given it a higher score, as I can still remember how it had a really lasting spicy flavor. Every time we tried a chai that I thought was somehow worse than this one, but still good, I felt remorseful about giving a 7 to Kavárna instead of an 8.
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| Work in progress. |
A: Uhm... I think I had two chai lattes outside of our chaimpionship, but it's also possible that I am mixing up the dates and one (or even both) happened before. Anyway, I tried the chai latte at Costa Coffee and... well, frankly, I don't recommend it at all (it's basically just some powder in milk, way too sweet). I also tried one in Coffee Contact in Vinohrady, and that one was alright, but it wouldn't have made it into our Top 5.
M: Well, I got chai powder from my sister for Christmas, so I was also regularly
making some chai at home. I know it sounds crazy, but I enjoyed every half-a-liter megacup of them. A chai made at home was not the same as the ones made in coffee places and I would compare it rather to cocoa, even though I think the powder I had is used in some cafes. I didn't have a chai
in a cafe without Alba, though.
And what about the real Indian chai? Did you try that?
A: Yes, we went once to Oliver's Coffee Cup, a cafe in the heart of Wenceslas Square, with the idea of having a normal chai latte. In the end they served us something quite different to what we were used to, and closer to the real Indian-chai I would say. It didn't have any foam, it was served in a press teapot and it's not really comparable to the other chais we had, but I really really liked it. It was very spicy, with an intense flavor, and served extremely warm! Not the usual chai latte, but probably the one I would like to make at home to accompany my breakfast.
M: To be honest, I had the now unfulfilled plan to go to an Indian restaurant to have a "real" chai, but in the end we managed to have something very similar in Oliver’s Coffee Cup, an unexpectedly nice cafe right at Wenceslas Square. We went there to test a "standard" chai latte, but what was put in front of us was not at all similar to our drinks from our test. The chai was burning hot, served in a tea press, full of spices, sweetened with honey and without foam. In case you'd like to experience a chai closer to the traditional chai masala drink, I recommend this place!
A: Yes, we went once to Oliver's Coffee Cup, a cafe in the heart of Wenceslas Square, with the idea of having a normal chai latte. In the end they served us something quite different to what we were used to, and closer to the real Indian-chai I would say. It didn't have any foam, it was served in a press teapot and it's not really comparable to the other chais we had, but I really really liked it. It was very spicy, with an intense flavor, and served extremely warm! Not the usual chai latte, but probably the one I would like to make at home to accompany my breakfast.
M: To be honest, I had the now unfulfilled plan to go to an Indian restaurant to have a "real" chai, but in the end we managed to have something very similar in Oliver’s Coffee Cup, an unexpectedly nice cafe right at Wenceslas Square. We went there to test a "standard" chai latte, but what was put in front of us was not at all similar to our drinks from our test. The chai was burning hot, served in a tea press, full of spices, sweetened with honey and without foam. In case you'd like to experience a chai closer to the traditional chai masala drink, I recommend this place!
After more than 15 chais, are you ever going to drink one
again?
A: DEFINITELY! I would actually love to be having one right now! :) I didn't get bored of chais at all during our chaimpionship and I will for sure have many more in the future. Considering that I don't drink coffee but I do enjoy warm milky beverages, a chai latte is just the perfect drink for me.
M: For sure! In a few months. :D I think I’m now ready for the less foamy drinks. Bring in some sangria, por favor!
A: DEFINITELY! I would actually love to be having one right now! :) I didn't get bored of chais at all during our chaimpionship and I will for sure have many more in the future. Considering that I don't drink coffee but I do enjoy warm milky beverages, a chai latte is just the perfect drink for me.
M: For sure! In a few months. :D I think I’m now ready for the less foamy drinks. Bring in some sangria, por favor!
Would you say the quality of the chai was connected to the
price - the more you paid, the better the chai was?
A: Not really, or not at all, considering that the most expensive chais didn't make it into the Top 3 and some of the cheapest had very good scores. :) We had mediocre chais for 89 crowns and good chais for only 46 crowns (shout-out to Café V lese!).
M: Not at all! One would think you’d see a big difference between a chai for 50 crowns and a chai for double the price. The more expensive one should be tastier, bigger, with Mona Lisa on the foam, right? NOPE. After 15 chai lattes I’m convinced that when you drink a chai in Prague, the price is really not a good indicator of how you will enjoy your beverage or your stay in a particular coffee place.
A: Not really, or not at all, considering that the most expensive chais didn't make it into the Top 3 and some of the cheapest had very good scores. :) We had mediocre chais for 89 crowns and good chais for only 46 crowns (shout-out to Café V lese!).
M: Not at all! One would think you’d see a big difference between a chai for 50 crowns and a chai for double the price. The more expensive one should be tastier, bigger, with Mona Lisa on the foam, right? NOPE. After 15 chai lattes I’m convinced that when you drink a chai in Prague, the price is really not a good indicator of how you will enjoy your beverage or your stay in a particular coffee place.
Any memorable moment that comes into your mind in connection
with the last 6 months of chai-testing?
A: Oh, so many! We started our chai-testing in late September 2017 and we finished it in March 2018. Over that span of time, we've shared so many conversations over a cup of chai (or the always present afterwards wine)! Over the cold after-work chai-testing evenings we've had moments of happiness, sadness, laughter, uncertainty, silly and significant conversations. We complained about winter and dreamed about summer, we laughed at the spot-on music selection of some cafes and enjoyed the smiley staff of others, we developed an interesting routine of writing our chai notes without making any comments about them and... We survived winter! :D
A: Oh, so many! We started our chai-testing in late September 2017 and we finished it in March 2018. Over that span of time, we've shared so many conversations over a cup of chai (or the always present afterwards wine)! Over the cold after-work chai-testing evenings we've had moments of happiness, sadness, laughter, uncertainty, silly and significant conversations. We complained about winter and dreamed about summer, we laughed at the spot-on music selection of some cafes and enjoyed the smiley staff of others, we developed an interesting routine of writing our chai notes without making any comments about them and... We survived winter! :D
M: One of the most interesting aspects of our chai-testing
was observing the people working at those different coffee places. Just like every standard company or institution, cafes are also built upon the people who work there, not just the nice and
comfy armchairs, amazing menus or a selection of hipster dishes. It's
fascinating how the attitude of the waiters can already make a difference
in how you experience your solitary stay or get-together in a cafe.
Of course there were also other, more specific highlights. Dogs coming to our table, giving us
additional love in the dark winter-days. (Ok, most of them just wanted Alba's food,
but who cares?) Songs in the background, which totally matched our current mood or life's circumstances and we just looked at each other and laughed. And I'm sure
without this foamy project of ours, I would not have visited this many nice
places! Most importantly, it was great to have a light at the end of the dark winter days and meet with Alba, who is an amazing person and it's great to spend time with her in any season.
Oh, I also realized for myself that I have gotten more detached from winter and the usual power it used to have over my mood and my well-being. Finally!
*
Many people also asked me whether we are going to test something in summer. Well, there might be some potential, we could test the quality of the terraces and summer gardens, or if a place provides blankets on colder summer nights. And score the state we wake up in the morning after the testing...
Anyway, we'll take a well-deserved break from trying, examining and evaluating and will move on to simply and purely enjoying.
And ideally getting tanned while doing so.
Oh, I also realized for myself that I have gotten more detached from winter and the usual power it used to have over my mood and my well-being. Finally!
*
Many people also asked me whether we are going to test something in summer. Well, there might be some potential, we could test the quality of the terraces and summer gardens, or if a place provides blankets on colder summer nights. And score the state we wake up in the morning after the testing...
Anyway, we'll take a well-deserved break from trying, examining and evaluating and will move on to simply and purely enjoying.
And ideally getting tanned while doing so.
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