A cup of ‘special’ tea has been the most trending topic on the social media recently. The highly nutritious blue tea which looks absolutely stunning in glass tea cup is no ordinary tea. If you are wondering where to find this ‘Malaysian beauty’, just head to the Gadees Oottuppura in Thrissur, says partner Arun Ghosh, who is a film actor and producer.
“It has been three months since I opened Gadees Oottupura in Thrissur. Everyone wants a selfie with the blue tea. From the elderly to the college kids, everyone is now a fan of this unique tea. Maybe we are the first to introduce blue tea in Kerala. The butterfly pea flower imported from countries like Malaysia and Singapore is used to brew this special tea. The blue tea served here has a unique feature. It will have an attractive blue colour when the tea is served at the table; however, it would turn to a subtle lilac just before you drink it. Lemon juice is the secret behind this changing colour. Honey is added instead of sugar for sweetness,” reveals Ghosh.
The organic butterfly pea flower tea is caffeine free and is rich in anti-oxidants. It effectively fights cholesterol, diabetes, ageing, stress, and asthma. It is said that drinking a cup of blue tea is as healthy and refreshing as a cup of green tea.
At Gadees, an exquisite cup of blue tea costs Rs 50.
Black fried rice
Another unique dish at Gadees is the ‘black fried rice with fried egg.’ This dish is prepared with the highly nutritious black rice. The owners of the restaurant say that the black rice has medicinal properties too. The dish is served with lots of vegetables and mushrooms, and is garnished with two fried eggs on top. Black rice, which is a staple in countries like Bhutan, China, and Burma, is easily available in the north-east Indian states like Manipur and Meghalaya. A plate of this nutritious and delicious black fried rice with fried eggs costs Rs 240.
Ghosh, who is proud of his successful venture, also has an extremely painful memory associated with the restaurant. He had initially planned to open Gadees along with his close friend and partner Bijoy Candran. But just a month before the opening of their venture, Bejoy died of a cardiac arrest. Ghosh says, “Gadees Oottupura was a dream that was envisioned by Bejoy and I together. The name of the restaurant itself sprung from the special friendship that both of us shared. Gadees (‘friends’ in Thrissur slang) should celebrate the ‘taste’ of friendship. I am really happy that the restaurant has become successful.”
The Gadees Oottupura is owned by the Chand V group which bankrolled super hit movies like 'Vellaripravinte Changathi', 'Romans', 'Ulsaha Committee', 'Oru Second Class Yathra', 'Georgettans Pooram' and 'Vikadakumaran.'
Ghosh’s brother Varun Ghosh and cousin Pravin Ghosh are partners in this venture.
Gadees Oottupura is located on the Mission Quarters Road.
