Délifrance: Introducing French delicacies to Dhakaites

From flaky croissants to soft brioche buns and baguettes, the French have taken baking to an art form.

A new addition to Dhaka's cafe scene, Délifrance, has been serving 100 countries' French pastries since 1984.

This cozy little bakery is located at Casablanca Tower in Gulshan Avenue.

Food

Among their sweet and savoury delights, their beef burger comes in soft sesame seed brioche buns, lettuce, tart tomatoes, and sliced onions layered atop a succulent patty.

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As you sink your teeth into the burger, the lighter than air flaky bun fills your heart with joy, the buttery texture is one to remember, and the patty is cooked just right with a tender centre, and the sliced cheese on top adds just the right finish.  

While the classic toppings go together, the freshness of the crisp and mild lettuce is to be appreciated.

The lack of seasoning is a bit of a letdown. This burger missed the mark by a whisker.

Their Penne Chicken and Mushroom Pasta is a traditional creamy delight.

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The penne is tossed in olive oil, along with some smooth butter, chicken, cream, parmesan cheese, and oregano.

The oregano balances the creamy and the Umami flavours, while retaining the subtlety of each individual ingredient creating a tingling zing that you relish.

The pasta to chicken ratio is perfect with every bite.

The roast chicken sandwich is a winning dish through and through, with the golden brown and buttery croissant that has a layer of crust that crunches slightly as you bite into it.

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The delectably seasoned chicken is marinated in herbs, garlic, lemon and   butter and has generous amounts of pepper for the heat, and a liquid gold pan juice that playfully engulfs your tastebuds.  

The rich green pickles not only add colour to the sandwich but also that slightly tangy, sour, and bitter mixture that tickles your fancy and gives you the feeling of a satiating meal.

Of the savouries, while both the brioche buns and the croissant were outstanding pieces of bread that held a place in their own right, the roast chicken sandwich was triumphant and a perfect example of how a few tweaks in the filling can turn a humble chicken sandwich into the star of the show.

Then arrived a barrage of sweet courses that included the fan favourite of a cinnamon roll made with a croissant, and it's a favourite for a reason.

The roll is a masterful combination of lightly buttered dough and the cream cheese filling with a dash of cinnamon, sticky brown sugar and butter that will make your heart melt and put a wide smile on your face till you're done chomping on your last bite.

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Their Nutella stuffed croissant had buttered layers that embellished the bread with a golden crust.

The silky chocolate spread of Nutella is warm and gooey, and has an unmatched decadent taste as you take heavenly bites of the pastry.

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The last of the desserts was a cheesecake that consists of fluffy vanilla cream cheese custard on a bed of a thick, buttery and sturdy graham cracker crust that is bound to make your mouth water.

Although you may have had cheesecakes elsewhere, this one will win you over like no other.

The price range for a meal at Délifrance ranges from Tk380 to Tk800.

Ambience

As you step into the brightly lit hallway, the floors are chequered with sparkling marbles.  

The contrasting wooden, blue, and red chairs are scattered throughout the restaurant, giving it a splash of colour that pop through the glass door.

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The murals on the wall transport us to Paris and its colourful walls are filled with street art.

Two women on the mural who are dining out while enjoying croissants are exactly the light and fun atmosphere that Délifrance is mirroring.

A bright yellow phrase on a marbled brick wall with a shadow of red reads, “Life is delicious” to welcome guests as they walk into what promises to be a delicious experience.

Challenges

The 38-year-old franchise opened in the capital city in September 2021.

The deli was initially scheduled for an opening in Dhaka in 2020, but it was pushed back because of the Covid-19 outbreak in March of that same year.

The year-old restaurant has garnered a regular customer base that helped them power through a turbulent time.

“We received great feedback from our regular customers from the beginning,” said Athula Yapa, chief executive officer of Délifrance in Bangladesh.

Inflation-induced increases in price have led to a continuous adjustment in prices for the establishment.

“We had already increased our prices thrice, and are due for another increase in November. It is the only way to sustain right now”, he added.

Yapa is optimistic that despite the price hikes maintaining the quality of the food would keep his loyal customers.

“We don't compromise on the quality, the original recipe is followed for the ingredients no matter the price, so the customers don't feel like they are being cheated value wise,” he further added.

Their business strategy is to decrease the overall cost by importing flour instead of frozen slices of bread that cost higher.

“It costs a lot more to buy frozen bread, so we get the flour and make the break locally, it helps to save for expansion,” He also said.

The franchise has launched another branch in Banani to accommodate its growing customers.

Championing women empowerment

This restaurant actively hires more women and is dedicated to operating like that.

Yapa believes that women work efficiently but unfortunately are not hired more in the restaurant business.

“Women work with more grit, resilience and with a smile because it's harder for them to get a job in the first place,” he commented.

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They are also not averse to hiring students or people with little to no job experience.

This job has a learning curve to it, 20% of the team are experienced so there's room for people who want to learn and grow, he added.

With an understanding management team, the women feel safe and comfortable working for them.

Ishrat Jahan Koli outlet in-charge at the Banani branch was as overwhelmed by the support she received from the team once she revealed that she was a mother-to-be, after having worked at the restaurant for almost a year.

Koli was immediately granted a six-month paid maternity leave and shortened work hours at her own will for the period of her pregnancy.

“I received a lot more than I had asked for, I was told not to worry about anything, and just enjoy this period in my life,” she said.

Jahan also shared how she was not required to wear a uniform, giving more importance to her comfort than the look that serves the restaurant.

“I wear what I feel comfortable in nowadays, and no one from the management team expressed any objections. They put our comfort first,” she added.

Any unwanted advances are also dealt with through the appropriate channels.

“I was made to feel uncomfortable by a regular customer once, I told the manager, and he dealt with them thereafter and I didn't have to deal with them again.”

The male counterparts are equally supportive, according to Koli.

Yapa credits the management team for having a progressive mindset.

“Lending a helping hand and creating a positive atmosphere wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for the entire management team.” He concluded.

Verdict

There aren't a lot of options for authentic French food in Dhaka. If you want to taste what it's really like, Délifrance is where you will fall in love with different kinds of bread and cold cut meats and coffee.

It is worth a shot.