Hello Kitty Chinese dim sum restaurant, Hong Kong! Gudetama theme cafe buns, Sanrio museum.
Yet another reason you should drop everything and travel to Hong Kong… there’s now a Hello Kitty dim sum restaurant!
At Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine, diners can bite into fresh steamed buns that look like the famous cat. Read on for dozens of photos from the theme restaurant.
I’ll also take you inside the somewhat-controversial Gudetama cafe in Hong Kong (where you can squeeze chocolate poop out of the egg character), and a Sanrio anniversary exhibition in Taipei.
And if you’re a fan of Hello Kitty, you’ve got to check out the cute fashion items below!
Let’s start with my visit to Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine. There are many Sanrio theme cafes worldwide — remember the Seoul Hello Kitty one, where I ate cake shaped like her face?
However, this is the first time anyone has done a Cantonese-style Hello Kitty restaurant. It’s a cute-faced version of dim sum, the traditional dining where everyone shares bite sized dishes around a table.
The local owner pitched the dim sum idea to Sanrio, and won them over. The restaurant’s interior design is magnificently executed, combining Chinese tradition with Japanese kawaii. Case in point: the paintings of beautiful ancient Chinese ladies… with Hello Kitty’s face!
Hong Kong Hello Kitty Restaurant Address: Shop A to C, Lee Loy Mansion, 332-338 Canton Road, Jordan, Kowloon.
It’s about a 3 minute walk from the Jordan MTR subway station, or ask your taxi driver to go to 佐敦廣東道332-
The Hello Kitty Chinese restaurant is extremely popular, so don’t expect to walk in and get a table. Fortunately, you can make a reservation in advance through their website.
The excitement begins at the entrance, where there’s a glass case glittering with Sanrio jewelry and wines.
Even the table and chairs have Hello Kitty faces, carved right into the wood. The attention to detail is apparent here — a nice change from other Asian theme restaurants, which often skimp on quality.
The menu is in both Chinese and English, with illustrations. You can choose from a range of Cantonese dishes or fusion creations, all decorated with a Hello Kitty touch. (On left, a giant bread-cat, with Chinese patterns imprinted on her bow!)
The restaurant has several special dishes, such as this one made with apples since this is Hello Kitty’s favorite fruit.
Another happy departure from other theme restaurants: Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine uses “real” ingredients such as vegetables and beans to make the decorations.
The owner focuses on healthy ingredients, and it pays off. The har gow (steamed shrimp dumplings) were so good that we wanted to order several more baskets!
We were pleasantly surprised that the quality of the food was so high, considering the pristine Hello Kitty faces on everything.
Every aspect of the dim sum experience gets a Kitty makeover, even the paper lining of the steam baskets.
I’m sure you “awwed” at this photo of Hello Kitty steamed buns… We won’t show you the “after”, where we tore into her face! Inside, there is a light and delicious red bean paste filling.
(Photos by noircorner and Ken Yuen.)
Finally, we ended with this light egg white custard and fruit. A perfect palate-cleanser, without added sugars or fake flavors.
This was by far the best Hello Kitty theme restaurant I’ve visited, with high standards for the Cantonese food, cute presentation and interior design. The prices are also very reasonable.
It’s the small touches that make this dim sum experience such a pleasure. I love how the owner was able to create an authentic Hong Kong dining experience, fused with Hello Kitty.
More info including how to make reservations on the Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine site.
Sanrio characters are extremely popular in Hong Kong, possibly even more so than in Japan. One of their new mascots — Gudetama, the lazy egg — seems to be everywhere.
We stopped by Mongkok’s Langham Place, where they were celebrating the mall’s 10th anniversary with a Gudetama exhibition. I admit I don’t really “get” this character’s appeal… maybe someone can explain it to me?
People lined up to take photos with the funny displays, including Gudetama as an egg sushi, and a subway train. There was special Gudetama merchandise at the pop-up store, but fitting with his attitude, I was unmotivated to take a look!
Hong Kong also opened up two Gudetama theme cafes. The one in Kwun Tong is a “YATA Gudetama Café by Izumi Curry” (Address: LG/F, apm Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Road).
I took photos of Dim Sum Icon, the sort-of controversial Gudetama restaurant. (Address: L308, 3/F, The ONE, 100 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
Similar to the Hello Kitty restaurant, this one has dim sum dishes that look like the egg character. However, there are also international selections like burgers and ramen, and the decor is much simpler.
Do these diners look engrossed with their food? Perhaps they are grossed out… by the Gudetama bun, which has a rather bizarre design…
If you squeeze his body, chocolate sauce comes out of his butt! I doubt I’d be able to eat something that looks like a mascot with brown liquid oozing out the back…
On the other hand, I was gung-ho to pose with Hello Kitty statues at her 40th anniversary exhibition in Taipei.
We actually took these Taiwan photos a while ago, but I never got around to posting them. Last year, Sanrio celebrated Kitty’s big birthday with an interactive exhibit at Songshan Cultural Park (松山文創園區). (Address: No. 133, Guāngfù South Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei.)
Fans paid an admission fee of about $20 to see Kitty in various guises, such as Marilyn Monroe and Holly Go Lightly.
The exhibit consisted of several giant rooms, each decorated with large-scale displays that you can pose with. Most of these feature Kitty, but there are also statues of other Sanrio mascots. Above: Pom Pom Purin, Lala from Little Twin Stars, Keroppi the frog, and Pom Pom Purin.
The Taipei exhibit hall also had a Hello Kitty pop up cafe, serving desserts and drinks decorated like her mouth-less face.
This pop up has now closed, but you can still visit Taipei’s permanent Hello Kitty Sweets Restaurant. (Address: No.90, Sec. 1, Da’an Road, Xinyi Distict, Taipei).
These colorful macaroons and cupcakes, topped with Hello Kitty candy decorations, look too cute to eat!
I paid a bit extra to see the Hello Kitty hologram show. (Hey, you only live once.) We weren’t allowed to shoot it, so imagine a bizarre hologram of Hello Kitty entering the stage — it was basically someone in a glittery purple dress and giant cat-head mask. She sang and did para-para moves with two background dancers, while soap bubbles floated in the air. We had a lyric sheet, and wanted to sing and dance along to the “Kitty Kitty Kitty” rap song… but nobody else in the audience was moving a muscle.
Are you curious as to why I’m doing this bizarre hand pose? It’s a tribute to Brown, the bear from Line Friends — yet another character with a single expression! He always does this tentative morose pose, with the tips of his index fingers pointed together.
One of the best ones was “Hepburn Hello Kitty: Breakfast at Sanrio’s.” You wouldn’t expect to see this cute cat combined with Hollywood icons… but it works.
I was impressed by the amount of creativity that went into these intricate sets. In front of Marilyn Kitty, there’s a grate that puffs up air, blowing up your skirt! The designer even incorporated Kitty’s bows into the background architecture.
Hello Kitty’s design has changed over the past 40 years. One room was like a museum, showing her evolution from baking pies in the 80s, to Charmmy Kitty in the 2000s.
Is that a tattoo on my arm? Nope, it’s a Sanrio stamp. There were special stamps and inkpads located all throughout the exhibit. Fans collected these prints on notebooks or on their bodies.
This exhibition took place in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Originally a Japanese colonial tobacco factory, Taipei’s government has converted this unexpected space into a “Creative Hub” for artists and innovators. The park transforms ghosts of its past — boiler rooms, warehouses — into modern design museums, gardens and stores.
You can check the Songshan Park website for upcoming special events. This “Hell Kitty” presentation is no more, but there are always other kawaii displays.
Taipei is crazy for this cat. In addition to the Sweets theme cafe, the airport has a Hello Kitty lounge. EVA Air also has a Hello Kitty airplane, which I’m keen to fly.
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt turns into Hello Kitty and her teddy bear. A wonderful use of colored mirrors to recreate the Art Nouveau work.
You all know I love Italo Disco… so this was perhaps my favorite backdrop!
Wouldn’t you love to party all night with me and DJ Disco Queen?
The life-size sets encourage guests to pose and be silly. In front of this retro TV, there were giant Charlie Chaplin shoes that you could step into.
Near the end of the maze-like exhibit, you could see the concept drawings and a video of how it all came to life.
Pretty amazing how a simple character design can inspire so many artistic variations, over the course of four decades.
Taipei’s Hello Kitty exhibition encapsulated what I love about Sanrio. They’re more than cute merchandisers. Their designs inspire creativity, unite fans of all ages, and put smiles on their faces.
Would you visit a Hello Kitty dim sum restaurant, or exhibition where you can pose with the characters?
(Here are my favorite Sanrio fashion items and toys below — click the images to shop them.)
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Guide to El Raval, Barcelona hipster district! Street art, Marmelade restaurant, Karl Lagerfeld x Melijoe fashion line.
Ten years ago, if you visited Barcelona, people would warn you to stay out of El Raval. It had a red light reputation and was considered a dangerous place to wander into unaware.
Today, El Raval is one of the coolest neighborhoods of Barcelona, and a center of skateboard subcultures and gritty street art. Intrigued? Then let me give you a tour — and scroll to the end of the post, to see the new country I’m traveling in right now!
But first, speaking of colorful art… I wanted to share with you the new Karl Lagerfeld and Melijoe fashion collection! How sweet is this animation video above, starring the iconic couture designer and his white cat Choupette?
Karl Lagerfeld and Melijoe have released the cutest clothing line for children and babes — including hoodies with embroidered prints, knit caps with whiskers, and other adorable yet classic designs. Personally, I want to get my paws on the black purse with cat ears.
Check out more cat-inspired juniors fashion and pre-order items now on their website.
Back to my Spanish hipster tour. El Raval is located next to the Gothic Quarter — I’ll show it to you in an upcoming post — not far from Las Ramblas.
(I’m wearing a white dress with long sleeves, and a cut-out skull back, from Pretty Attitude Clothing.)
El Raval used to be one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world. During the 1800s, it was a poor district peppered with brothels and bars.
Today, the area still has an industrial feeling, and a large immigrant population.
However, thanks to rejuvenation programs, El Raval has become a cool cultural center. It’s the best place in Barcelona to experience cutting-edge art, food and nightlife.
One of the most innovative restaurants / bars in this quarter is Marmalade. I spread my wings at the 1950s dapper decor, featuring angel-winged lamps and an illuminated Art Deco bar.
Address: Carrer de la Riera Alta 4-6, El Raval, Barcelona
I felt at home in the vintage New York meets Havana atmosphere. You can sit in the lounge, or reserve one of the long tables for a party with friends.
Marmalade has an extensive cocktail list. We couldn’t resist this generous goblet of sangria, made with red wine and fresh fruit.
Marmalade is known for creative burgers, including a ramen noodle burger. Diners also rave about the brunch offerings such as eggs Benedict. That evening, we ate up every last bite of the cheese plate appetizer and a warm goat cheese salad.
One of my local friends recommended their hip sister Milk Bar and Bistro too, decorated “like a millionaire’s drawing room.” I’ll be sure to check it out next time.
Marmalade is located near the Rambla del Raval, an open space lined with palm trees and benches.
This neighborhood felt like a breath of fresh air, compared to the tourist-packed La Rambla. We passed by eclectic street art, old-style buildings, and not a single souvenir shop.
There aren’t any “landmarks” or big attractions in El Raval. The pleasure comes from strolling around and encountering unexpected street art, like this Empatia and hearts on a brick wall.
If you’re doing an Instagram wall crawl, you’ll find plenty of backgrounds in El Raval. We saw intriguing murals on every street corner.
Cthulhu made his mark here, with a winding tentacle.
Even though El Raval is no longer a dangerous area, it still has an edgy, red-light feeling. You’ll find lots of bars and tattoo shops here.
Layers upon layers of posters, graffiti, and paint.
No wonder El Raval is the known as the most offbeat neighborhood of Barcelona.
(Shoes by YRU, dress from Pretty Attitude)
I found an Art Nouveau pharmacy with my name on it.
Those swirling moldings, and absinthe fonts… I got a new appreciation for Catatonia Modernisme after this trip.
In the summer, Barcelona’s best-known districts are filled with tourists, which put a bit of a damper on the experience.
Filmmaker Melissa and I stopped for a healthy snack, in this cute open-window cafe called Komo en Kasa. (All photos by Borderless Media)
There remains quite a large Moroccan and Middle Eastern population in El Raval.
An anarchist black flag hangs above the graffiti.
The Portlandia “Put a bird on it” has made it to Barcelona.
We filmed outside the MACBA modern art museum, located next to the Centre De Cultura Contemporanea. It’s become a gathering place for skateboarders to hang out and practice tricks.
Skaters zoomed around and used the long ramps to leap into the air.
Nearby, there was a skate shop. Love the custom skateboard with kittens and rainbows.
After spending the day exploring El Raval, we went back to our Art Nouveau hotel, El Palauet.
I was in the mood for something sweet, and found exactly that at a Xococake, a specialty dessert shop run by chef Albert Badia Roca.
Address: Carrer Gran de Gràcia, 17, 08012 Barcelona, Spain
At the front window, I had a hard time deciding on which gelato flavor to get. I wound up with a scrumptious dark chocolate, and can vouch that this is the best gelato in Barcelona.
Xocockae makes all sorts of desserts, from candies to fruit tarts to cakes. Everything is adorably decorated, and perfect for bring home to friends.
There was even a station for horchata, a hot and sweet drink made from tigernuts, water, and sugar.
Have you heard of Barcelona’s El Raval? What do you think of the current street art and hipster bars, in this formerly sketchy district of Spain?
Finally, I’m overjoyed to share my next travel destination… Siem Reap, Cambodia — home to the temple of Angkor Wat! (Photo above via Wikipedia Commons.)
I’ve been working long-term with Hong Kong Express Airways, and they are sending me there to capture the experience. I can’t wait to see the Tomb Raider temples for myself, and experience the warm Cambodian hospitality I’ve heard so much about. If you have suggestions for things to do and see in Siem Reap, please let me know with a comment.
PS: I’ll be sharing my journey live, on Snapchat (@lacarmina) and Instagram. Check me out on these social networks, to see behind the scenes.
LA CARMINA
