Tea Tales - Siliguri West Bengal, India: Netaji Cabin, Bidhan Market

I was recommended to visit this particular tea house by a very close relative who lives in Siliguri, who told me that he has been going to Netaji Cabin since he was half my age, which would be a long long time ago! Curious as always, I asked him what makes Netaji Cabin stand out. He simply told me that it was not only the oldest tea house in Siliguri, being about 60 years old and running! It also serves the most amazing tea, toast and egg set that he has had in a local eatery. That was enough to arouse my interest and stimulate my taste buds of course. It is not unknown to many of those who are familiar with Siliguri but at the same time there are many in Siliguri who do not know about this little hidden gem. It's not a very difficult place to spot especially if you are familiar with the Hong Kong market scene in Siliguri. It is in Bidhan Market which is connected to it. If you have direction issues, just do what I always do - ask the locals and most of them do know Netaji Cabin.

My first glance of the tea house literally made me feel like I was in a typical tea house somewhere in Kolkata, where the locals came for their everyday 'adda' or gathering to discuss various political topics or any such intellectual on going subjects and simply read the daily newspaper.

Then you have someone like me who enjoys the much lighter aspect of a tea joint, the tea and snacks on offering of course , and I was not disappointed!

I went for the classic milk tea- chai, soft boiled eggs Netaji Cabin specialty with their scrumptious fresh toast. It was de-light-ful in so many ways, not only was it delicious but the vintage ambience with a local Bengali 'feel' took me back in time to a more slow paced and less technically inclined era. It just makes you appreciate time more, and how far we have come in this 21st century as well as how much further we still have to go.

Firstly they make their own special bread and I saw first hand how the owner, second generation owner, prepares the toast. His father originally started the tea house as he adored the popular Indian freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, which the tea house is named after.

Most definitely Netaji cabin with its old age charm is a refreshing change from the new age cafes and snack joints we frequent all the time. It feels wonderful that even after all this time there are some things that don't age or change but only get better such as this lovely tea house in the middle of a bustling commercial shopping street.

I look forward to my tea and toast on a lazy Siliguri afternoon soon, and yes isn't it lovely there is no set time for breakfast at Netaji Cabin where its breakfast all day, all the time!

Words & pictures by: Sabina Saby Tamang aka sabyeatsnothertreats