A vibrant decor welcomes you to 138 East in Gulshan 1. With their yellow doors, exposed brick and a phone booth, the restaurant is extremely popular with young people and for a good reason.
This gastropub is situated on the peaceful road 138 of Gulshan 1. They serve large portions of lasagna, pizzas, grills, chicken ala kiev, lobster thermidor and pastas.
It’s a little bit of nostalgic food that many of us grew up eating in the early nineties and is still very popular today.
Ambiance:
As you step in, you’re greeted by bright yellow doors and a red phone booth. The exposed brick walls are painted white, and large London street wallpaper. It’s a bit of London here in Dhaka.
Customers may enjoy the natural light that fills the entire space thanks to the dim lighting. The seats display images of well-known western tourist destinations, like the Eiffel Tower and the British flag.
This is similar to traditional British hotspots like London's 138 Street, after which the restaurant is named.
Food:
Their soup selection included a bowl of hearty cream of mushroom, a thick creamy broth has onions, chicken broth, and tender mushroom slices, while the perfectly thickened roux creates magic on a bowl. The subtle yet strong essence of garlic, and herbs elevate the dish and makes you relish the complexity while not overpowering your tastebuds with the umami flavour of mushrooms.
Their Mazo Macaroni soup is a meal that is a delectable surprise. The macaroni is perfectly chewy,and bouncy, and the smooth soup lightly surrounds your tongue while you enjoy the macaroni and the vegetables.
This French delicacy of lobster thermidor is a heavenly dish. The firm, tender, lobster meat stuffed into a large shell topped with a mornay sauce (it’s basically bechamel with cheese) perfectly compliments the sweet lobster meat. The rich taste is a delight and one that you will relish till your last bite.
The sweet and spicy seafood hot bowl is a treat that you can dig right into as the smell engulfs your senses as soon as the bowl is served.
The mix of prawns and crabs, and a spicy creamy sauce drizzled over the fish, making your dining experience something to remember.
The plate of tucson chicken and rice has spinach, butter, melted parmesan and a delectable side of brown sauce that has a spicy kick to it with a touch of pepper and tingles your taste buds like no other.
The Gold rush is a dessert plate that features a delicate chocolate dome atop, and upon cracking it open there is some delicious gooey chocolate oozing out accompanied with edible gold and every spoonful leaves you with a smile.
The revitalizing dink of virgin Mojito, is a refreshment that has strong flavors of lime juice, soda water and mint leaves you feeling satiated after a goof hefty meal, and tastes and wonderful as it looks.
The price range for a meal at 138 East is on the steeper side, from Tk590 to Tk3250, but it makes sense, with the location and the unique ambience it provides.
Challenges:
The five-year-old restaurant survived the Covid 19 outbreak by leveraging the delivery options to offset any losses.
Like most restaurants, they had to downsize to remain afloat.
“We had limited our staff during the pandemic for the purposes of delivery operations,” said Moshiur Rahman, the manager of the restaurant.
The place is affiliated with foodpanda, which means you can enjoy its delicious food from the comfort of your own home.
According to Rahman, the restaurant industry suffered heavily during the pandemic, and the lack of policies did not help.
“The service industry did not receive enough aid from the government, not enough loans or emergency funds were provided,” said Rahman.
On top of that, due to the rise in inflation, the restaurant needed to adjust prices earlier this year, despite not doing so in the two years of the pandemic.
“The only time we increased our prices was this year in January,” he added.
Despite the price range, if you’re craving some hearty soups or french delicacies, give 138 East a chance, it's worth a second visit.
