Friends, an American sitcom themed cafe in Kolkata
Where would you go to have a moist maker sandwich? Or find Central Perk, yes, Perk, not Park? And, finally that orange couch you have always wanted to sink into? For millions of people, the answer would be New York.
But now, for millions of people in India, the answer could be Kolkata.
Just behind Deshapriya Park, famous last year of the world's tallest Goddess Durga idol, is a middling sized cafe, and everyone there is just speaking out one line - 'How you doin'?' - Joey's signature one-liner from one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time, Friends.
The mural outside the cafe is already a big draw, with FRIENDS written the sitcom style. Inside, the purple door, Phoebe's guitar and her cycle, a Central Perk poster, the best one-liners painted on the walls, a statue of Pat and, course, the orange couch.
Behind the brainwave to set up the American sitcom themed cafe are siblings Aditya, Mahima and cousins, all fans of Friends.
25-year-old Aditya, who has an MBA degree, says, "I started it as a business venture based on my sister's and cousins' idea. But the kind of response we got, it was unexpected."
19-year-old Mahima is in second year of college and overwhelmed with the response. "There was a group of six ladies who said, beta, we want to sit on the orange couch. And they waited outside for one hour to do that," she says.
Many of those sinking into the orange couch have never seen Friends but they are enjoying the ambiance and the experience. "It's a nice place, decent food and very well located," said a non-Friends fan.
But die hard fans are making a beeline for it.
Bithika made her non-Friend fan friend see two episodes of the sitcom before bringing her to the cafe. Devika, much-travelled, says the cafe makes her feel at home. Her favourite Friends food? "I have always wanted to try the moist maker sandwich with the turkey inside," she says.
The Friends cafe, however, is veg. "Phoebe was veg too after all. And she is one of my favourite characters," says Aditya.
The French Fries and mocktails are flying off the shelf.