Monkey Waiters

A restaurant in Japan has added two monkeys to its wait staff. What do you think would be the biggest problem with having monkeys as waiters in a restaurant?

1) The repeated mysterious disappearance of the bananas from the Bananas Foster.

2) Staffing shortages during the Discovery Channel's Primate Week.

3) Cold entrees due to arriving at the table from the kitchen via the rafters.

Which would be the biggest plus with this concept?

1) Could probably get away with using a few shiny buttons for a tip.

2) They won't arrive to work tired because they were up late watching the Colbert Report.

3) Don't have to worry about your husband flirting with them.

Prison Themed Restaurant, Japan

Ingenious (or nutso, depending on how you look at it) Japanese restaurateurs have developed the prison themed dining experience. Customers are led to their cells in handcuffs, walking past a man in an electric chair, writhing in agony. This will of course whet your appetite because every time I see a man an in electric chair, the first thing that comes to my mind is pork with scallions, in a light sweet and sour sauce or a lovely chicken salad on a bed of fresh garden greens. The breadsticks are free but if you want a good shanking, that's extra. No word on any soap dropping problems in the bathroom. Regardless, I believe I'd just hold off on that.





This blog, Not Quite Nigela (and who is?) has some great photos of a different Japanese prison-themed restaurant.




Today's poll:

Will prison themed restaurants become a big hit (ha ha! no pun intended) in the United States?
1) yes

2) no

3) A restaurant where you are treated like an inmate, seated in a cramped cell like place, and made to pass by people writhing in pain before sitting at your table? Sounds like a Shoney's to me.

Ramen Lust

In Japan, ramen apparently is more than just something you can buy 6 for a dollar on sale when you are short on cash. YouTube user 46E2Q has 39 videos posted--all of Ramen. Other videos include the scientific study of Ramen.

Sure, this video is in Japanese, and you, like me, probably don't speak it, but just make something up: ...big, hot, steaming bowl..., ...so popular people line up around the block...., ...garlic. The secret is lots of garlic....

Japanese Maid Cafe

The cafe that started due to Manga mania, has now spread to several other Asian countries, and Mexico (according to Wikipedia). Now, in addition to the Maid Cafe, there is the Mother Cafe, featuring slightly older, motherly waitresses; the "Younger Sister" cafe; and the Butler Cafe:

Catch and Cook Your Own Meal Restaurant

If busing your own table weren't bad enough, this restaurant in Japan expects you to catch your own food and then prepare it yourself.

I jest. Actually, it looks fun. The YouTube poster provides more information on this type of restaurant here.