Shadowy ghost and poison-types get their moment in the sun, and of course there’s a new Pikachu item too!
In talking with fellow fans, it’s often not enough to just say you like Pokémon. Instead, to really get the ball rolling on a passionate Poké-parley, it’s best to specify which arc of the anime, or iteration of the video game, really grabs hold of your heart.
And soon enough, it looks like we might have to do the same with Tokyo’s permanent Pokémon Cafe. When the restaurant opened back in March, the menu focused on the series’ all-stars, such as Pikachu, Eevee, and Mimikyu. But with so much source material to draw from, the cafe’s chefs updated the edible roster in mid-summer, adding dishes with tropical and Hawaiian touches as a salute to the sunshiny setting of Pokémon Sun and Moon.
And now that we’ve flipped the calendar over to September, it’s time for another batch of new menu items, this time drawing inspiration from Japan’s favorite autumn celebration: Halloween.
The first newcomer takes the form of ghost-type Gastly, combining one of Japan’s favorite fried foods with buns reminiscent of the black burger craze in the spooky-looking Gastly Mincemeat Cutlet Burger (1,706 yen [US$15]). The color likely comes from edible bamboo charcoal (in which case it won’t affect the color of the meal’s eventual end-product).
The puréed sweet chestnut dessert Mont Blanc may not be something most American sweets fans are familiar with, but it’s a mainstay of Japanese cafes, especially in the fall when the nuts are in season. But while you can order Mont Blanc all over Japan, only at the Pokémon Cafe can you have the cooks whip you up a Tangela Holloween Mont Blanc (1,490 yen).
Moving on to the new drinks, there’s more Halloween-theming with the bat-like Golbat’s Poison Poison Float Drink (918 yen). Don’t worry, though, it’s not actually hazardous to your health. It’s just that purple happens to be both the color associated with poison attacks and statuses in Japanese anime/video games and also the color of the berries used to make this fruity float (the ice cream has no thematic connection to Golbat’s flying capabilities of Poison Fang attack, and is just there because when was the last time someone didn’t want a scoop of ice cream?).
And finally, because Pikachu truly is the Pokémon for all seasons, there’s a new Pikachu Halloween Chestnut Latte (918 yen), which features latte art of the beloved franchise mascot and can be ordered hot or cold.
▼ And don’t worry, they sell the mug in the Pokémon Center Tokyo DX megastore that’s next to the cafe.
All these menu items are available now, and will be around until Halloween day, October 31. Just don’t forget that reservations are required to eat the at Pokémon Cafe, and can be made online here.
Restaurant information
Pokémon Cafe / ポケモンカフェ
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi 2-11-2, Nihonbashi Takashimaya S.C. East Building 5th floor
東京都中央区日本橋二丁目11番2号 日本橋髙島屋Ｓ.Ｃ.東館 ５階
Open 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Website
Reservations
Source, images: PR Times
Follow Casey on Twitter, where just about every room of his apartment now has some sort of Pikachu merchandise in it.