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We Survived A Visit To Japan's Resident Evil Restaurant
I thought I was going to have a normal meal at a quirky Japanese restaurant. Instead, it turned into of of the most surreal experiences of my life.
Last week I recounted my evening at Capbar, Capcom's theme restaurant in Japan, but that wasn't the only Capcom themed bar I visited in the land of the rising sun. I also made a point to check out Biohazard Cafe & Grill S.T.A.R.S.
The restaurant is located on the seventh floor of a mall in Japan's Shibuya district. From a distance, the restaurant doesn't look like much. It's small but decorative. A number of guns line the walls and S.T.A.R.S. caution tape warns patrons that they are about to have a hallucinatory experience.
After being seated, I took a look at the menu. I particularly love the Rebecca-style dessert. It tastes just like her.
Biohazzard Cafe is an all you can eat joint. Sadly, the food isn't that great. But you don't come for the food, you come for the show.
At the center of the bar is a giant Tyrant statue:
After placing my drink order, the fun began. Without warning, a dance party mix kicked on, and over a loudspeaker a prerecorded voice said, "Are you ready for a dance party?" I wasn't, but the waitresses quickly took to the floor and started dancing. After about a minute of this, warning siren interrupted the fun and everyone looked over at the Tyrant statue as the lights around it strobed to life. People began to shout in Japanese and the waitresses grab guns off the wall and started firing at Tyrant.
The Tyrant statue doesn't really move, but the lights around it danced ominously. After about a minute of running back and forth across the floor, the store's staff must have felt like they had killed the plaster monster, because the music quieted down and the overhead lights came back on. The cafe's staff took a loop around the restaurant, giving everyone high fives and country music started playing over the speakers. Things had settled back to normal. As normal as that place gets anyway.
I don't really know if I should recommend Biohazard Cafe & Grill. The drama is entertaining, but the food is way overpriced and tastes like camp food. If you're a big fan of Resident Evil, its probably worth a visit, but check out Capbar first.
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