Delicce, who has a background in craft cocktails, describes the menu as “crowd-pleasers that are also more crafty.”Īnd every single cocktail has a cute gimmick or Hello Kitty reference in it, which Delicce says comes from the Hello Kitty philosophy of “small gift, big smile.” The You Had Me at Hello (cachaca, aperol, lemon, sherry, pineapple) and the Aloha Kitty (vodka, pineapple, yellow chartreuse, lime) both come in Hello Kitty-shaped containers (the Aloha Kitty even has a hula skirt!) the 1974 (an old-fashioned with black walnut) features an ice cube with Hello Kitty’s face in it and the Picture Perfect (Bison Grass vodka, strawberry shrub, lemon and strawberry popping boba – yes, actual boba) literally comes with an instant photo taken by the bartender. Customers can order drinks with practically any alcohol (vodka, gin, whiskey, mezcal and tequila) as well as wine by the glass or Hello Kitty brand wine by the bottle (bottles can’t be purchased to take home, though). The menu is comprised of delicious craft cocktails curated by bartender Emily Delicce (with Sanrio’s approval, of course). hits, the lights are dimmed, some classy piano music plays on the speakers and the tea service becomes a cocktail service. It should be noted that most of the tea items cannot be purchased in the front cafe. For example, the icing of the cupcake is in the shape of an apple, which is how Hello Kitty measures her height (five apples) and her weight (three apples). All food and tea were handpicked by Chien and the other owners to be on brand with Hello Kitty. Tea also includes a fairly large selection of snacks – fruit as well as sweets, such as macarons and mini cakes – and savory bites, such as a pretzel croissant with smoked salmon and cream cheese or a pesto tart with mozzarella and tomato. The design was done in collaboration with Sanrio, so came together and created this space.”įor the tea service, each customer gets to pick a tea from a list of black, green, oolong, blended or caffeine-free teas. Anything bigger or smaller would’ve been too small or too big. … It’s really mellow and relaxing and it’s the right size. It’s just very calm and upscale and you kind of want to move in. “I’ve spent a lot of time here, obviously, and every time I walk in I still get the same feeling. “I describe as walking into a hug, like you walk in and you’re surrounded, it feels safe and warm,”Ĭhien says. The room is intimate yet breathable, lively but not chaotic. Even the bathroom is decked out in Hello Kitty wallpaper. When you walk into the very pink Bow Room, you’re immediately taken by the giant Hello Kitty silhouette, complete with bow, behind the bar. It’s all custom-made and all Hello Kitty-branded, including the cushions and plates. The level of detail in everything is incredible, from the barstools with bows on their back to the tea stand in the shape of Hello Kitty’s head. From a young age I just really took to her,” Chien says.Īnd she stresses that all the hard work that went into the new cafe is for the fans – and it shows. The trucks were so successful that the group opened a pop-up in San Diego and a couple of mini-cafes, also in California. They can come here and just do it all.”Ĭhien, who licenses the Hello Kitty brand from Sanrio, got involved about four years ago when she and her partners created the Hello Kitty food trucks two mobile trucks now travel on both coasts. And, there’s cocktails and afternoon tea. “The young fan can be outside and they can take their picture with Hello Kitty and watch the doughnuts being made and pick things that are appropriate for their. “I’m taking this quote from one of the brand people at Sanrio, Dave Marchi, but he always says a Hello Kitty fan is 4 to forever, so we really tried to bring the concept to touch every fan,” says Urania Chien, one of the three owner-operators of the Hello Kitty Cafe. At the back of the cafe, a bow-shaped knocker marks the entrance to the Bow Room, a speakeasy-type experience featuring the afternoon tea service, $55 per person, and the cocktail bar at night (both offered Wednesdays through Sundays, reservations strongly encouraged). The front of the store is the public cafe where customers can buy a bevy of Hello Kitty merchandise, including a gold bow handle mug, exclusive to the location, as well as branded sweets and menu items, also exclusive to the location, such as made-to-order mini hot doughnuts and a pick-your-own four-piece set of Sanrio character mini cakes.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |