For most of us, the words “Pokémon Cafe” mean that free-to-play video game, Pokémon Cafe Remix. But if you’re lucky enough to live in Osaka or Tokyo, it’s a real-life restaurant, that serves food that looks even more extraordinary than the fantasy concoctions in the game. That picture above? That’s a curry.
It’s part of a tie-in between the IRL cafes and the forthcoming Pokémon Legends Z-A, both of which are going to feature Mega Pokémon. And no, you’re right, that’s not a Mega Charizard in that mind-blowing piece of food art—Megas are blue and gray—but that’s because you’re not looking at it through an app.
Look, forgive my overexcitement—I live in the UK, where we’re lucky if a cafe sells something that even vaguely resembles food, let alone something as visually impressive as these meals. Sad, floppy, undercooked bacon and a fried egg that’s inexplicably grey? I’m covered. But look at this! Look at the care! I mean, who knows, maybe it tastes awful, but it’s so pretty.
Apparently, that stone you see in the corner of the plate determines whether your meal is going to become a Mega Charizard X or Y when viewed through an app on your phone. I need video footage of this, stat.
It’s not the only mega-meal option. The cafes are also serving a Mega Ampharos-themed caramel ice cream cake, and it looks just as intricate.
I mean, I assume it does. I’m working on faith here, just assuming that what you actually get at a Japanese Pokémon Cafe would be faithful to the images released for publicity, and not the equivalent of the difference between a picture of a MacDonald’s burger and the depressingly congealed dollop of indistinguishable foodstuffs you’re served. God, that would be so miserable, wouldn’t it?! A cake-disaster-style attempt at a Charizard, the curry running into the rice, all the kids faces crumpling as it’s served to the table. But I have faith!
The two dishes will go on sale in Osaka and Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafes on June 14, and apparently orders will come with Mega Pokémon stickers, and drinks come with a themed coaster.
I can’t wait to see video footage of this, and how the AR looks. Is the ‘Zard so perfectly crafted that it can come to life in the app, climb off the plate, attack the salt and pepper? And why can’t we have food that looks like this?!
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