Have a cuppa: Thirsty? Try a cup of Boom Boom Doodh Patti

The New Café Quetta Hotel on Burnes Road has come up with a cricket-themed menu.

KARACHI: Cricket fever has taken over the New Café Quetta Hotel on Burnes Road.

To celebrate the 2015 Cricket World Cup, the café has come up with a new menu inspired by the Pakistani cricket team. The restaurant is also offering a free cup of tea to anyone who walks in wearing this year's green jersey.

"I love cricket and I love Pakistan — this is my way of expressing that," explains Syed Naqeebullah, the owner of the café.

The menu offers a variety of tea named after the players, including the light Tuk Tuk inspired by Misbahul Haq's relaxed batting style, the Khan Chai named after Younis Khan and the Lambu Kahva motivated by Muhammad Irfan. The most popular of them, however, is the strong Boom Boom Doodh Patti — unsurprising, given the people's love for both Shahid Afridi and doodh patti.

Since the café kicked off its special menu four days ago, dozens of customers have availed the offer for a free cup of tea. The menu, which also includes items such as Chota Akmal Anda Omelette (an omelette named after Umar Akmal), will be available till the end of the World Cup — even if the national team itself doesn't make it that far.

Business is booming despite the increased prices. "The doodh patti, previously sold for Rs25, now costs Rs40, while the Tuk Tuk is for Rs35," says Naqeebullah, hurriedly pouring steaming tea into several cups. "But the menu is a hit and many customers are turning up."

The tea shop, which has been in business for the last 20 years, has plastered posters of Afridi, Irfan and other players on its walls, while waiters clad in green jerseys move amongst the customers.

For the Pakistan-India match on Sunday - the most awaited contest in every tournament - Najeebullah plans to put up a television screen and serve complimentary cold water. "Since we are Pakistani, we will only show the matches Pakistan is playing in," he adds.

As people sip on hot tea, the topic of conversation inevitably revolves around the team's chances of winning the tournament. "It would have been better if Muhammad Hafeez was there," said a man, while another said he was hopeful that Pakistan would make it to the finals. And a teenaged waiter brought it back to Afridi: "I hope he makes us win the cup."

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2015.