What’s Up! Café, the popular hangout on Southern Avenue, now has a footprint in the US. The owners — Anamika Sengupta, Debraj Dey and Anirban Sengupta — have acquired a property called Café de France in Dallas, Texas, US. And with the 40-year-old café that serves Americanised French bites, Texas will have the vibe of a Kolkata café. A quick chat with Anirban.
Congratulations on Café de France! When did you formally acquire the cafe?
We acquired it in November 2022 but there was a lot of groundwork which was happening since 2021. We first registered a subsidiary called What’s Up Limited in the state of Texas and acquired the 40-year-old café in Dallas. But before we went to Dallas, we were scouting for a property in Austin as that was our primary preference. But it was Dallas that gave us what we wanted. Dallas is considered the cultural capital of Texas and it’s a little more cosmopolitan than Austin. The reason we stuck to the name Café de France is because it has been in Dallas for 40 years and it is an extremely popular brand. Post this, whichever restaurant we open it will be What’s Up Café.
What is it that made Café de France your choice?
We wanted to take over a second-gen restaurant as we were absolutely zero in the US, and we are perhaps the only house who have a presence in the US without any American shareholder. So, we don’t have a local partner. Also, a second-generation restaurant made more sense for us because we not only acquire the asset but also the staff and the customer as well. It’s a 150-seater restaurant, just the size we wanted and in the neighbourhood we desired.
Have you made any changes in the food?
We sell casual French and American dishes with quintessential French appetisers and mains.
Do we see any influenceof What’s Up! Café here?
We have spruced up the dining space and upped the hospitality quotient. We also have live music now for a few days though we have plans to make it a regular affair. We have introduced a lot of cocktails inspired by fresh fruits just like here in Kolkata.
How has the responsebeen in the last eight months?
Our first apprehension was the location as it is in a white neighbourhood and we were apprehensive about whether we would be accepted. But the response has been more than overwhelming as we have been welcomed with open arms.
Pictures courtesy: What’s Up! Cafe