Eye on the Street Food
Decatur Metro | March 1, 2013
Chai Pani, Decatur GA (pic submitted by James)
Chai Pani, Decatur GA (pic submitted by James)
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Just back from lunch. Oh man, was that good! The saag paneer, the “sloppy jai”, the daal. Fast, well priced, kids menu.
Super yummy, good service, fun vibe, and a new dinner favorite for us!
Good job, Decatur Metro, on posting that photo. Now everyone is going there for dinner tonight. I was hoping to go at 530 and it not be slammed. Little chance of that happening with that scrumptious photo.
Yummy at lunch. They did what no one has been able to do in 40 years: get me to eat okra.
Food was good. I had the veg thali with saag paneer.Kind of bare bones operation for the price-picking up your fork and spoon and napkin takes me right back to high school. And the place is LOUD. I said LOUD. I can’t imagine the noise level when it gets full.
Nice to have another option for Indian in the area.
It was very tasty! Hubby and I also discussed the noise (something I think Watershed also struggled with) and wondered how one would could best dampen it. Cool Indian fabrics on the walls? The ceiling? Can’t wait to go back, so many other yummy-looking things to try!
I just got back from eating there – we had almost the exact same thing pictured – “sloppy jai!!” It is a bit loud, but no worse than Leon’s. Food is worth it. Now if we could just turn that dry cleaners into a Gelateria…
The dry cleaners actually own the building, so good luck with that. They sublet to Watershed and told me they were actually left in the lurch when Watershed ducked out of their contract early to flee for Buckhead, much to their chagrin.
Watershed put that building on the map and spent untold thousands of dollars improving the place to allow a Chai Pani to move in so easily. They made a business decision to move, and I am sure they lived up to the letter of the lease. When they first moved in there was no Farm Burger building. Landlords then foisted that on them after they moved in saying it would just be retail ( clothing store )Then applied for a parking variance to change it from retail to resturant. There are two sides to every story, and I believe Watershed was treated very poorly.
I truly agree, parking is a big problem. that is why they left.
That is why they moved. there parking was gone. To bad Everyone really loved watershed.
Yeah, Chai Pani and Farm Burger really seem to be struggling because of the lack of parking.
No, these businesses are thriving.
Lame excuse. Next.
Um, Marty, Chai Pani just opened 2 days ago. Anyway, that wasn’t the point I was making – my point was they were treated poorly by their landlord ( in my opinion – not the other way around ) Parking was an issue for Watershed. They were not a fast casual place like FB or CP – and the chaos that has become that parking lot wasn’t a good fit for their customers – along with other factors so they chose to move. The landlord is probably making at least $4,000 MORE a month because of the improvements WS paid for – so they were hardly “left in the lurch”.
Just sick and tired of failed or failing businesses blaming lack of parking for their financial problems.
The most successful restaurants in Decatur – Brick Store, Leons, 246, Iberian Pig – have no parking at all – ZERO. They somehow survive and thrive.
There have been several restaurants in the Farm Burger space before they came in and they all failed so I guess Watershed didn’t complain about parking until a successful tenant came in.
Watershed had sort of run its course in Decatur. Other restaurants moved out ahead of them. That’s why they moved. Not some other lame reason.
It may be as simple as expectations.
Watershed clientelle may have come to expect convenient parking. Farm Burger and Chai Pani have set different expectations.
Marty, the reasons Watershed gave for their relocation was that it was going to allow them to add a patio, private dining, and additional parking. So, why is it that you refuse to take them at their word?
Yea, Marty, Watershed is hardly a failing business. They were lured away by a landlord who valued their business, and helped them meet their. needs. I wish them well. Also, sorry for hijacking Chai Pani thread, planning to eat there tomorrow – my friends in Ashvillle love it.
Marty – thank you. We can’t be a vibrant walkable urban place and provide the kind of parking you’ll find in sprawl land. If a business provides a great experience and product in Decatur it will thrive, and the parking situation will be a non-factor. If the product and experience doesn’t live up to this tough competitive marketplace, it will fail, and probably blame it on parking on the way out. That’s just the way it’s become. I, too, am tired of hearing about parking. We have enough parking (more than enough is many spots), and we are still attracting and supporting great businesses. So please, people, stop trying to hoist more parking on us.
+ 1,000
Also, if any property in Decatur looks like Urban Sprawl it’s that property. And the leasing agent, Brannon Goddard, specializes in strip malls.
Warren Buffet and Marty- you continue to miss the point. Y’all are the ones with parking on the brain. I find it amusing that your “suburban sprawl” ire is targeted at Watershed – who pretty much started the farm to table thing in Decatur.
I do believe that Watershed’s clientele was older than is now typical in Decatur, and for them parking was more of an issue. The most successful places in Decatur, as Marty listed, don’t have parking but also appeal to a younger demographic.
Hmmmm…I was planning to make risotto for dinner, but now I may have to reconsider. Those “sloppy jai” look scrumptious!
JunderscoreT now owes me another lunch. He still hasn’t paid up on my Victory lunch. I had to take myself. Damn lawyers.
I didn’t say lunch. I said Jack & Coke slushie. And you’ll have to corral Cuba, Smalltowngal and/or Deanne to chaperone because I don’t need no Mr. Belle1197 gettin’ suspicious
And why is that not lunch???
Good point. I assume this means that Smalltowngal will be in too, at least as long as I promise not to play Journey on the jukebox.
Slushies make great lunch!
OK, you’re in too. Wait, you’re not Mr. Belle, are you?
Count me in! Just know that there will definitely be Journey tunes being played if I order a second one! And daydreamer’s gotta come too! :0)
Jack & coke slushies…nothing better on a hot day! On days like we’ve been having lately, tho–notsa much.
But all that metal! Metal dishes, metal plate, metal table leaves me cold. Warm it up with some China? Something?
Went for dinner. Service was slow, but that is too be expected on day 1. The grown ups really enjoyed it and the toddler loved it. We will be going back soon. I kind of want to go for lunch tomorrow.
Call me, I will join!
We have to go OTP for a birthday party this morning….might have to wait until next weekend after Touch a Truck. Still thinking about my dinner.
We tried but you all had gotten there first. There was a 45 minute wait so we gave up. We’ll be back after the excitement dies down to a dull roar.
Sarah: those are traditional thali plates. Some are sectional, some are plain.
loved the sloppy jai! A great addition to lower West Ponce!
Went last night and second all the comments here (except for the questioning of metal plates, which I found kinda fun and refreshing).
Dinner also included a Commissioner Garrett (and Gary) sighting, as well as pretty much everyone else we know in Decatur. Looking forward to eating there another couple hundred times.
A Patti Garrett sighting!?! That’s amazing! We all know she’s hardly ever seen in public.
(Still waiting for that sarcasm font).
Family dinner tonight at Chai Pani was delicious!!
We got there at 5:15pm and had to line up to reserve our table. Thankfully, they let us inside to wait since it was so cold. As soon as they “opened,” the restaurant was full. It wasn’t too loud for me, but I was sitting with 2 other people, so we were close to one another at the table.
They have table service at night, which is really nice. One of the managers who moved here from Asheville came out and spoke to us, and she mentioned how excited they were about how big the opening has been and how welcoming Decatur has been. (cue Decatur pride)
I had the SDPD appetizer, Bombay Chili Cheese Fries (which is the Sloppy Jai on top of fries; huge portion), and a side salad with cumin dressing. Delicious! I tend to get semi-addicted to restaurants and eat there repeatedly until I burn out. Looks like I found my new target!
No but seriously we need a gelateria…
If the wait is too long there, head over to Lawrence’s for a different kind of great meal!
For god’s sake, somebody please get Paolo’s gelateria to open in Decatur!
Morelli’s. All we need is Morelli’s.
You’re killin’ me! Are you even going to show up for the final weigh-in? Morelli’s is on my list, no, it IS my list, for when I reach my 25th lb. dropped. Sadly, I have 14 more to go.
Ha! At this point, I just may not show up. I’m down about 8 and not really happy about it. Maybe it’s all the heavy muscle I’m putting on and not the beers I’ve been sneaking…
Keep it up, guys. I lost 28 lbs a couple years ago and I keep it off by running. Are you exercising? I promise it works. Come running with me…you’ll lose more than you hoped for.
Ohhhhh, yes…ditto 1 brazillion for Morelli’s. I’d never leave the parking lot!