It's Shaun the Sheep!

I'm laying in bed this morning, having some quiet time and looking at Facebook.  It is a common scene these days.  I try to stay in bed as long as possible, while my husband and son watch the "news" (which is more like a morning talk show vs. actual news).  Suddenly, my husband gasps and shouts "You've got to see this!"  I quickly hop out of bed and run to the living room to see Shaun the Sheep on a plate.  Turns out there is a new café featuring Shaun the Sheep meals!

My husband quickly pulls up the website and says, in a disappointed tone, "It's really expensive."  I reply "If only 1 adult goes with our son, it won't cost too much."  His second hesitation came as the announcement that it was "just a café" and it didn't include a themed play area.  I took it to mean the food probably wouldn't be that good, but he knows that this is Japan and mediocre food is unacceptable (unless you're in a theme park).  Five minutes later, my husband had to leave for work.  I shouted after him "Text me the address of that café!"  After all, fun Aardman themed pop-up restaurants never pop-up in Seattle (to my knowledge).

My son and I didn't have any plans for today and I thought, why the heck not!  Let's have an adventure.  Turns out the café is a 45 minute train ride away, near JR Kichijoji Station in a department store called Parco Kichijoji.  The ride seemed to fly by, even the confusing transfer at JR Shinjuku didn't phase me (although I did pick up my son and carry him on the packed platform - safety first!).  As we walked down the street towards the department store, my son spotted a column wrapped with an advertisement for the café.  He starts jumping up and down "I want to see Shaun the Sheep!  Momma, I love Shaun the Sheep!  Can we go there?"  I smile and tell him that is why we came here - to eat at the Shaun the Sheep café.  He starts pulling me into the nearest café, which isn't the right café!  I have to herd him in a different direction and inside the building and point to a different sign in order to calm his overzealous heart.  We take the elevator up to the 4th floor and emerge right down the hallway from the café.  My son gasps and says very quietly "There it is!"

The Sunday Brunch café has been around for a while.  This is just a special promotion that they are doing.  It is super exciting for my son because my husband (a die hard Aardman fan) introduced Shaun the Sheep to him and it has been their special thing for close to 2 years. 

We are quickly seated.  I was amazed because this was the first day of the special menu and Tokyo is known for its crazy lines.  Just as we are settling in, the waitress brings a huge stuffed Shaun for my son to cuddle while we wait for our food. 

The menu has several options and we finally decide on curry for my son and salmon cream over rice for me.  Even though my husband thought it was expensive, I didn't.  The two "adult" meals cost just less than ¥3,000 ($27).  (My son opted to not get the kid's set because he really wanted curry.)  Expensive for a café?  Yes.  But for Shaun?  No.  The staff bring out cute paper placemats with Shaun on them, and before too long our food followed. 

The meals were so adorable!  Amazingly adorable!  However, this didn't stop us from digging right in (after photos of course).  I was shocked how good the food was.  I was expecting cute, but subpar tasting food.  I was still willing to pay for it, even with this expectation.  It was an experience for my son and me.  I'm so glad  I was wrong though, and my expectations were more than exceeded.

We ate our fill and didn't leave any room for dessert, which is sad because they have cute Shaun the Sheep desserts, too.  Guess daddy will have to take junior back another day...