Meet. Eat. Repeat.

There are very few places for us Dhakaites to create memories. We have a few parks scattered here and there, but apart from that, the only place for recreation we find here are cafés and restaurants. With this in mind, Md Mohiuddin Niloy has opened the perfect eatery seven months ago, not just to satisfy your appetite, but to satisfy your heart with a little bit of 'adda' and laughter with your friends. 

Nostalgic Café, situated at 751 Satmasjid Road, Dhaka, started off with the idea of bringing nostalgia to people. "We wanted a place for people to create memories, and feel nostalgia when they come back- thus the name. If you look around the café, you will notice that it does not have the stiff ambience—there are couches, and seats where one could relax while enjoying a meal and chatting with friends," says Niloy, proprietor of Nostalgic Café.

The ambience and atmosphere in Nostalgic café will definitely hint at the name. There is a lot of folk art done on the walls, and the relaxed seating arrangement will instantly make you feel comfortable as you set foot in the place. The whole interior is decorated with 250 potted plants, and the pillars are designed to be trees. "We kept the décor very plant centric because of the tree situated right outside the building which was planted there as a tribute to a freedom fighter," says Niloy. 

The cuisines range from Continental, Thai and Chinese, to Indian and Seafood, all cooked by well-experienced chefs. While the Thai and Chinese cuisines are best suited for members of the older generation, the continental food, such as pasta with white sauce and steaks cater the young ones. One of the favourites happen to be the Mexican Steak, with Sautéed Vegetable and Mashed Potato—the big chunk of beef, whether well done or medium rare up to you, with a stuffing of capsicum, baby corn and strips beef sausage, has a delicious smoky and tangy flavour to it and when coupled with the fresh vegetable slightly stirred in butter gives you a balanced taste. The mashed potato is smooth and creamy and goes well with the steak. 

Another favourite, the Stuffed Crab with Sautéed Vegetable and Mashed Potato, is a delight and there is no need of a shell-cracker as the crab is cooked to a point where the shells are softened and can easily be torn off the meat. There are also a wide range of signature drinks like Oreo shake, KitKat shake, Ferrero Rocher shake, the Minion Blast (banana milkshake), and more. 

"We are usually completely packed on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On weekdays, while students pour in from class from afternoon till evening, during night time we cater to families." 

The restaurant also has a separate smoking zone attached to a balcony, and the rest of the area has vast windows spread across the walls to let sufficient sunlight inside during daytime. "We also have offers every now and then. For example the offer we're providing right now is a 10 percent discount to whoever takes a selfie here and checks in on Facebook." 

The tagline being 'meet.eat.repeat', Nostalgic café really is a great place to make new memories while relishing old ones. So why not take a trip down memory lane with your friends, in a brand new place, sipping on a drink of Oreo milkshake.

By Naziba Basher
Photo courtesy: Nostalgic Cafe