Kawaii Monster Cafe

Hello lovelies!

Another entry here! This time about one of my last adventures in Japan (for now). This one I actually have to thank my friend Sara for as this was all her idea! We decided to meet up in Harajuku on one of the last weekends that I was going to be in the land of the rising sun (I miss you Japan!). That day though, she surprised me by taking me to the "Kawaii Monster Cafe". I am a little embarrassed to admit, but I hadn't heard of it before this experience. If you walk down Omotsusando from the Harajuku station and turn left, a little past Laforet and before the LINE store on the righthand side, you'll find a building with an escalator. Up a couple flights of stairs from there and boom! You're at the entrance to the "Kawaii Monster Cafe".

(The Monster Girls)

Reservations are not needed, but you might want to get there early if you are planning on going during a rush. If you go during an off day (aka, not a weekend day) during an off time (aka, not during the dinner rush), you should be fine going in and not worrying about getting a table. (I say this assuming that the place's popularity hasn't risen astronomically since I went, though I'm sure it will become more popular over time).

(Strawberry Smoothie)

When you get to the entrance, you can choose from 5 areas, the Sweets Go Round, the Mushroom Disco, the Milk Stand, the Bar Experiment, and the Mel-Tea Room. We choose to go to the Mel-Tea Room, which was adorable! Decorated in chocolates, teacups, and the like, we were instantly in love with the place. We were greeted and served by the Monster Girls, who were decked in trendy and cute monster-inspired attire. We asked if their wigs were heavy and they actually let us feel. They had to be at least a few pounds, much heavier than the wigs I've worn. Talk about dedication!

(Non-Druggy Cocktail (Experiment))

But by this time, boy were we hungry. We started out with drinks. Sara got the Non-Druggy Cocktail (Experiment) (Non-alcoholic) which she got to mix together herself, while I got a fruity strawberry smoothie (Non-alcoholic). Talk about yum!

(Popcorn Shrimp and Dip!)

We added an appetizer, popcorn shrimp, before we got our main dishes. Sara got rainbow spaghetti while I had rainbow spaghetti in Fettuccini Alfredo sauce. Sara's dish also included a variety of dipping sauces as well that made the dish look like a paint palette. To my knowledge, the menu tends to change, so every time you can experience something new!

(Rainbow Spaghetti)

(Fettuccine Alfredo Rainbow Spaghetti)

Totally a super enjoyable lunch out. The atmosphere was very light and fun, a great spot for young adults to go for something new or even a little relaxing. After we finished, we got to have our pictures taken with the Monster Girls, went over to the gift store, and proceeded to enjoy a day out in Harajuku (whoot for shopping!).

(Myself with the Monster Girls)

So if you're looking for a fun place to have lunch at in Harajuku, check it out! It's a great place for young women and teens especially. You'll be sure to have a great time. For more information, check out their website here: Kawaii Monster Cafe (which is in English! ^_^ ).

Till next time,

Okonomiyaki Shop

Hey everyone!

So this time I'm writing about a little event in which I joined my lovely friend Katie at Gottsui (ごっつい) in Roppongi, a Okonomiyaki shop near Roppongi Station (六本木駅). To give you an idea of location, it's actually just around the block from Blue Theater. (Now here's a question for you, why would Katie want to introduce me to this restaurant in particular, given its relative location? I shall leave that to your imagination.)

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a Japanese Pancake (often associated with the Kansai area of Japan) meaning "What you like" and "Grilled" with various ingredients including flour, eggs, mayonnaise, cabbage, dashi, cheese, octopus, squid, shrimp, and sometimes noddles along with other ingredients. It is literally a pancake of what you like.

Gottsui is a small shop with an Osaka-like flair to it. In comparison to other places I've been to in Tokyo, it's much louder and closer together, but it is nice because it's non-smoking and if you go in a small party, you can sit at the counter and watch the chef cook your food. I wouldn't go there alone and at night, particularly because it is in Roppongi, which is not my favorite of places and not always very safe (in other words, if you're going at night, go with a friend like I did). However, I wouldn't mind going in the afternoon for a late lunch.

My experience eating at Gottsui was good. I enjoyed the attitude of the waiters and the food was delectable. Absolutely delicious and so big! When I went, I was starving, so I figured it would be possible to finish a whole Okonomiyaki by myself. No such luck. But it really was delicious and for dessert, actual pancakes with syrup stuffed inside them. Yum! The only downside to my experience was that on the other side the restaurant, I found myself unable to escape the gaze of a quiet drunk salaryman around the end of the evening (yes, uncomfortable). However, I can't say it really deterred me from having a good experience overall. The food was to die for and the waiters gave the place a great, fun atmosphere. It honestly made me want to try making my own Okonomiyaki!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your day and eat something yummy!

Curry Doughnut

A short little post today guys!

I wanted to share one of my joys over here in Japan: The Curry Doughnut. Yes. You read that correctly. A Curry Doughnut.

(Outside)

(Inside)

Essentially curry, wrapped in doughnut bread and then fried to perfection. The perfect grab and go lunch/snack. Seriously. No, this is not something made up for a random plot device. This is amazing and yummy and delicious. And I mean it, really.

Have a good day!