Karak Chaii Plymouth — Restaurant in Plymouth

Disappointed with the Quantity, Price, and Misrepresentation

I recently visited Karak Chai with high hopes, but unfortunately, the experience left me quite disappointed. I ordered the thaali priced at £13.50, expecting a traditional Indian meal with a decent variety and portion size. Sadly, what I received was far from an authentic thaali – both in terms of content and quantity.

For those unfamiliar, a proper Indian thaali usually includes a balanced selection of items like dal, sabzi (vegetables), roti or rice, pickle, papad, dessert, and sometimes a small portion of raita or chutney. What was served felt more like a random assortment of small items with no real understanding of what a thaali is meant to be. For the price charged, it felt like a complete letdown.

What’s even more concerning is that non-Indian customers, especially English and international visitors, are being misled into thinking this is what a traditional Indian thaali or biryani looks like. As someone familiar with Indian cuisine, it’s disheartening to see authentic food being misrepresented at such inflated prices.

If you’re going to serve Indian-style food, please respect the cuisine, the culture, and most importantly, your customers. Serve the right portions, use quality ingredients, and call dishes by their correct names.

Really unhappy with this experience – it felt like more of a marketing gimmick than a genuine attempt to serve good...

Staff weren’t unpleasant but when we entered we weren’t sure how the style of menu worked or how to order. This wasn’t explained so we worked it out for ourselves. The food itself came fast and didn’t taste bad, however clearly wasn’t fresh. We noticed the momos dumplings were rock hard and smelled funny, and upon checking the bottoms we saw mould. We asked staff about it and they insisted that’s just “how they serve them”. We didn’t eat them because they were inedible regardless. At the end we politely requested a refund which was denied but we were allowed a drink replacement (which didn’t cover the cost and wasn’t nice either). We were told the green parts (conveniently on the bases and the soggy parts of the dumplings) were “chilli”, which made us feel we weren’t being taken seriously. Overall it was quite a disappointing and frustrating experience - we wouldn’t recommend visiting and will not...

Great Experience at Karak Chaii – Indian Street Food Gem in Plymouth. This Desi-style street food restaurant is an absolute gem; Filling a much-needed gap in Plymouth's food scene, this spot delivers the authenticity of Indian street cuisine right in the heart of the city. My husband and I visited on a Wednesday morning when the rush was lighter, and the experience was delightful. We tried the Punjabi Samosa Chaat, Aloo Tikki Chaat, every bite was bursting with flavor! And the Karak Chai? Simply sensational – aromatic, and satisfying! The service was good too. It’s rare to find such a place in Plymouth, and it deserves all the support to succeed. The only minor suggestion would be adding table number displays for dine-in customers, which could streamline the service experience further. We’ll certainly be back often. Highly recommended! 🎉 #IndianStreetFood ...