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Usman Chaudhry and Amena Chaudhri — who opened Namkeen Hot Chicken in Chatham in October 2020 — officially launched their Pakistani-American cafe, Chashni, at 231 Main St. in early September.
While both Namkeen and Chashni provide a “unique take on Modern American cuisine,” the similarities end there, Chaudhry tells DailyVoice.com.
“Chashni is a commingling of Pakistani ingredients and American culture, Chaudhry says. “We pride ourselves in where our food is from, and believe in using the highest quality ingredients from local purveyors we know and trust who stand behind the integrity of their products. We offer a concise menu where each item has been carefully crafted and cooked to perfection.”
Where did the idea come from? Chaudhry says it was built on simplicity and trueness to Pakistani culture — with a bit of help from their parents.
“Chashni started with a simple idea, how do we share the warmth, authenticity and tradition of drinking a cup of chai as is customary in Pakistani culture?” Chaudhry says.
“We spend months perfecting our chai recipe while letting our parents be the judge. It took a while to get it right, but I think we've made our parents proud. We then went on to introduce Pakistani street food and American staples for breakfast, brunch, and dessert.”
Chashni’s menu takes no shortcuts when it comes to ingredients: from savory egg dishes like the anday wala burger (lentil patty, omelette, onions, tomatoes, mint chutney, spicy tamarind chutney on a sesame bun) and sweet sensations like the gulabi waffle (pistachio, rose petals, kulfi ice cream on a gulab jamun Belgian waffle), there’s truly something for everyone to sink their teeth into.
Chashni’s hours are listed below:
Follow Chashni’s Instagram page for the latest updates.
Chashni, 231 Main St, Chatham, NJ 07928
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