LAHORE: The Cafe Upstairs is an initiative by Sohail Salahuddin — cultural doyen Yousuf Salahuddin son — who always wanted to come up with an all-encompassing cafe that manages to tap its own niche in a market that is already too cluttered with cafes and coffee havens. The cafe is located on the bustling main Jail Road in Lahore above the swanky Zamana Interiors.
Though Salahuddin was busy with last minute preparations on the opening night of The Cafe Upstairs on January 26, he still managed to leave an imprint with tantalising titbits and his own genteel hospitality. Having started the project almost a year ago, the entrepreneur took it on himself to make sure that every aspect of it was as perfect as could be to a point where he even flew in a specialty chef who taught the staff how to bake their in-house bread that is used throughout the menu. The Cafe Upstairs is a bakery-cum-cafe-cum-restaurant with a designated time in-between meals dedicated to the common obsession of Pakistanis — tea. The cafe has a special time slot for those midday meetings and tea/coffee get-togethers.
On the other hand, the main course ranges from pizzas to pastas, with the cafe’s signature taste kept intact in all the delicacies served. What’s interesting about the cafe is its unique platters and how two different flavours are dexterously served as one exotic dish. For instance, the beetroot and feta starters were a tasty surprise and showed that the cafe has its own set of uncommon recipes.
Being a huge dessert fan himself, Salahuddin understands that every foodie has a different threshold for sweet. The Cafe Upstairs caters to the varying taste palettes that people possess in a city that is known to be obsessed with food. For the sweet monsters, the cafe offers Chocolate Explosion, while for the mild sweet lovers the menu boasts red velvet cake. The vanilla ice cream that supplemented most of the desserts had a secret of its own. Salahuddin shared with the media that it was made in-house from imported vanilla beans.
The decor is simplistic yet engaging; local newspapers used as wallpaper, a corner dedicated to hand sketches and a working Big Ben replica in another corner. It even houses a compact stall of the famous book chain store The Last Word. According to Salahuddin, “Coming to a restaurant is not just about the food. It is the overall experience that matters. You should leave satisfied with the food, the music, the decor and of course the bill.”
Judging by the turn out at the event and the response of the attendants, one can easily say that The Cafe Upstairs is here to stay and if they manage to maintain their quality, the cafe could be the next big hang-out place for all ages.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2012