Cafe Favorite Piece: Find your favorite pieces!

I should spend more time with this blog.  There are still many concept cafes out there that I should write about.  If I'm not quick enough, I might loose an opportunity to write about it forever.  Many cafes emerges, yet close in this industry.  Favorite Piece is one of them.... it "officially" closed this month.

The cafe was famous for bagels, and the waitress was dressed in bakery looking costume.  While the cafe was filled by favorite pieces of everyone, what is my “favorite piece“?  Probably the precious time that I spent with the people there.  Including the regulars, people there were nice and welcoming.  Combined with the warm cozy environment, you would have felt at home once you get used to it.  I always enjoy having some deep discussions about concept cafes and family restaurants with cute costumes.  Especially owner of this place had waitress experiences in various cafes and restaurants, and her knowledge in this field is one of the kinds :-)

While the place is "officially" closed, it seems like FP plans to continuing periodic events here and there.  If you can read Japanese, follow there tweets and find out the latest updates!

Cafe Favorite Piece
http://favoritepiece.com/
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Pondichery Etoile: An Oasis in the Nightless City

Akihabara is not the only place where concept cafes exist.  There is one in Shinjuku called Pondichery Etoile, one of my favorites.  The cafe is somewhat hidden: in order to get there, you have to go through famous entertainment district Kabuki-cho and Golden-gai.  Once you pass all adult-like bars and clubs, there is a small building with unfit cute Anime-like signs.  Entrance is very fishy: my maid-cafe friend Takatora-san was surprised when I told him I found the place by chance and went in alone without prior information :-p

Original Pondichery is located in 2F as maid reflexology.  In 4th floor, there is a sister bar called Pondichery Printemps which is Tokusatsu Bar, and Etoile is located in the 5th floor.  It is a "Lolita Fashion Cafe & Bar".  Girls there are dressed in lolita fashion. What is your image of lolita?  Cute and delicate?  Yes, I give them cute...... but delicate, I wonder! ;-p

Girls there are hardcore.  They have deep Otaku knowledge.  They serve alcohol and cook real foods.  (Sometime they even make fried foods in lolita costumes...)  They are outspoken.  And most of all, they work until 4 in the morning....  Yes, the place is open until 4 am EVERY DAY!! (>_<)/

Since I find this place, I have a place to go even passed midnight.  Last Friday, I went to Tokyo in my co-worker's car.  We got to Tokyo in 2:30AM.  Guess what?  We went to Etoile, and they were OPEN!  Not only open, but people were there and we had fun!  Apparently, it was a birthday of one of two girls who was working there that night, thus one of the regulars brought a birthday cake for her.  We sang birthday song for her in like 3AM in the morning.  Hardcore, isn't it ;-)

Midnight Shinjuku might be a bit challenging for the people who are temporary visiting Tokyo, so if you want to try this place out, I recommend you to go there in afternoon.  They are open around 2 or 3PM.  I am not sure if they have English menu.  If you are a challenger, come at night.  The one who is always drinking peppermint tea is me :-p

Pondichery Etoile
http://pondi.jp/e/index.html
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