SHANGHAI, China (Reuters) – Hello Kitty fans in mainland China can now get their fix of the famous mouthless kitten with a sweet cake or cappuccino at a themed restaurant in Shanghai.
Hello Kitty Bistro Bianco is the first official Hello Kitty-themed restaurant to open on the mainland. It serves a variety of western food laden with Hello Kitty designs.
One customer, 25-year-old Liu Jiaqi, said the food was good but just too cute to eat.
“As soon as I walked into this restaurant (I thought it) was very cute because, from the decorations to the food, it’s all Hello Kitty. They’re very cute. It’s very a girlish feeling. I think the taste of the food is OK, but when you eat it, it’s difficult to kill the thing because it really is too cute,” she said.
The Hello Kitty brand enjoys fandom across China. The opening of Hong Kong’s official Hello Kitty restaurant last year was followed shortly by the first Hello Kitty theme park in nearby Zhejiang province.
Ken Yumii, Bistro Bianco’s executive manager, said the primary goal was to highlight “cuteness”.
“(For me), the satisfying aspects of the restaurant are probably the taste of the food and the feeling when one looks (in at the restaurant). This is what we’re aiming for for customers, cuteness – when they see the cute nature of Hello Kitty, they will feel good,” Ken said.
Despite the wall-to-wall cuteness, Hello Kitty fan Charlie Wang said she wasn’t convinced the restaurant lived up to the brand.
“Honestly speaking, it slightly failed to meet my expectations because the Hello Kitty design and style of the second floor aren’t particularly authentic. It’s not that Hello Kitty-like. I feel it’s just like a restaurant that’s stuck on a bit of Hello Kitty stuff. Perhaps I’m a bit picky, my own requirements are a bit high,” she said.
Hello Kitty Bistro Bianco can serve up to 80 customers, is open 11am to 10pm every day of the week, and has two floors. The second floor serves as a dining hall, while the first is devoted to selling Hello Kitty merchandise.
The restaurant officially opened in late January, and is still undergoing a “trial period”. The restaurant’s owners say a VIP section has yet to open to the public.