Source:
https://scmp.com/magazines/hk-magazine/article/2037336/hong-kongs-6-best-cartoon-restaurants HK Magazine
Hong Kong's 6 Best Cartoon Restaurants
You’ve watched them on TV, dressed up as them, bought the toys and accessories—and now you can eat them as well. M.C. Hughes checks out the ever-growing number of cartoon concept cafés.
Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine
Bear-faced Cheek
Kumamoto Café, the newest pop-up café addition at Kwun Tong’s Apm mall, takes its cartoon inspiration from Kumamon bear, the official mascot of Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture. Created by the local government to draw tourists, such was the popularity of its copyright-free design that it has gone on to generate billions in merchandising revenue. With big crowds in evidence, it’s obviously still popular—customers can dig into set meals, mains and desserts, all with Kumamon’s face emblazoned on them.
LG/F, Apm Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Rd., Kwun Tong, 3580-2883.
Sweet Dreams
Lifestyle brand Fatina Dreams, created in Hong Kong by crafts brand Chocolate Rain, may be aimed at tweenage girls: But it’s proved so popular with all ages that a themed café, Fatina & Chefo—Eat & Play, has popped up in PMQ. Focusing mainly on sweeter bites, dishes include tiramisu, ice cream sundaes and flavored lattes. Fatina Dreams has even got as far as the UK, where a collection has been launched at Marks & Spencer and is on display at the British Museum. The café itself sells Fatina-themed merchandise, which you can take home after your sundae or the secret six-course “Wow Moment” menu ($298).
S109-113, 1/F, Block A, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen St., Central, 5544-0810.
Meow You See Her
Hello Kitty is everywhere, and now she’s in your food as well, like it or not. Hello Kitty prawn and egg rice, Hello Kitty beef hor fun, Hello Kitty char siu bao, Hello Kitty har gau—it’s all got Hello Kitty’s unsmiling feline features plastered over it. Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine even has Hello Kitty-branded red, white and sparkling wines. The saving grace? The owner ran a health magazine for six years before opening the restaurant, so the food is cooked with organic ingredients, uses coconut oil and is low in oil and salt compared to some Chinese restaurants.
Shop A-C, G/F, Lee Loy Mansion, 332-338 Canton Rd., Jordan, 8202-8203.
Cloud Mascot
Sogno Café+ is a modest little eatery that serves a familiar selection of Western dishes, including steaks, salad and some decent cakes and sweets. It’s teamed up with Hong Kong brand Fluffy House, and adorable cloud-faced mascots such as Mr. White Cloud and Miss Rainbow adorn both the food and the décor. Go for the baked lobster or a raspberry and ice cream macaroon sandwich, all adorned by super-cute cloudy mascots.
2D Welley Building, 97 Wellington St., Central, 2757-9898.
Moomin Rivers
Moomin was created by Swedish-speaking Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson in the 1940s, rising to popularity in Asia when made into a Japanese animated show in 1969. The lovable, hippopotamus-like creatures have served as inspiration for Harbour City’s Moomin Café, which offers culinary creations themed around the nordic creature. Head over for a stack of pancakes served next to a Moomin-painted mug tower, or a touch of Moomin art on your cappuccino.
LCX 32, Harbour City Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2730-0963.
No Yolking Matter
When Mong Kok’s Modern Toilet restaurant went down the tubes, so to speak, it created a novelty restaurant-sized hole, which has been plugged in the form of Dim Sum Icon. Icon offers a fun menu of egg-themed dim sum-sized dishes that have been cooked to resemble Gudetama: Sanrio’s anthropomorphized, permanently lethargic egg. He might not have the pull of Hello Kitty, but how often does your egg pudding come with a face on it? Not nearly often enough.
Shop L308, 3F, The One, 100 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2885-1345.
