Author: Nora Feichtmeir
There is a place in Culver City where decapitated dolls hang on strings from the ceiling, constantly swaying under blazing lights. Ceramics with googly eyes stare menacingly from atop glass shelves. A squat black chibi character stands in the corner, hands outstretched with painted X’s for eyes. He looks lonely and quietly threatening.
The scene appears to be no different from any other modern art museum, until the wait staff appears. Wandering about in Lolita-inspired French maid costumes, they add to the already surreal setting with their fantastical ensembles. This is the bizarre, dreamlike welcome that Royal T extends to its patrons.
Royal T is a Japanese Cosplay-inspired café, shop and art gallery capable of delivering a generous dose of “W.T.F.” to any weekend. Cosplay, short for costumed-inspired, is a type of performance art closely tied to anime culture. Royal T’s mission is to bring the cutest, brightest and shiniest parts of Japanese pop culture to L.A.
Costume play, cartoons and the blurred line between childhood and adulthood inspire the restaurant’s brand of phantasmagoria. It’s influenced by the maid café culture of Tokyo’s Akihabara district, a major shopping and entertainment area.
An evening at Royal T promises to be nothing short of a whimsical escape from the standard café scene. The tea room is about fun, play and exploration of a culture that is decidedly more glittery than our own.
The building itself is well-designed with plenty of natural light. Its most recent exhibition, “I Can’t Feel My Face,” features twisted, sad and funny portraits in a variety of mediums. The Japanese pop art feels uncanny; it is bizarre and alien, yet simultaneously familiar. Initially spooked, I began to wonder whether I might have more in common with the despondent chibi character than I had first presumed.
The food available at Royal T is a delectable blend of Japanese and French cuisine. My Kobe beef “hambagu” with gruyere cheese ($12) was scrumptious. The menu features rice and noodles, salads, brunch food and even high tea with pastries. And of course, integral to the dining experience are the servers dressed as French maids. The outfits manage to charm without diminishing any of their tongue-in-cheek allure.
In line with their kitschy appeal, Royal T hosted the 35th anniversary of Hello Kitty, complete with arts and crafts projects, sushi workshops and an appearance by Kitty herself. Enough said. Do you need a little more kawaii in your life? Stop by Royal T located on 8910 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA.
See www.royal-t.org for more information and store hours.
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