I usually don’t go to themed cafes unless I’m really interested in the theme… the last one I went to was the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo a year and a half ago. The theme and whole setup was super kawaii and perfectly used a “Super Effective!” attack on my wallet. However, while the food was visually appealing, it was a bit average.

So when my friends invited me to the Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe, I was intrigued, but somewhat reserved. The food certainly wouldn’t match the slick theme, could it?

In collaboration with Pasela, a chain of restaurants, resorts, and karaoke rooms across Japan, I am surprisingly pleased to say the food and drinks were great!

Among the four of us, we covered a pretty impressive spread of menu items. I was recommended the Azim plate which had some soft, juicy slices of beef atop some amazingly flavorful rice… it is something that I would order again at any restaurant!

I also ordered the Heaven-on-High, an impressive tower of real, deep-fried onion rings and fried fish.

Advanced reservations are required at 1000￥ ($9 USD) which also includes one drink selection. I opted for their limited Caramel Tea. Everything we ordered also was quite good, but everyone raved about the Minfilia Almond drink which tastes like liquid almond pudding.

There are plenty of yummy themed desserts to satisfy any fan.

Of course, the whole theme and exclusivity meant that nothing else was “cheap,” but the experience is worth going for any Final Fantasy XIV fan!

★★★★★ · Cafe · Dotonbori, 1 Chome−4−27 なんば道頓堀店 4F パセラリゾーツ

I can’t always eat ramen when I go out, can I? This past weekend, I went with some friends to Shiawase no Pancake (“A Happy Pancake”) in Kyoto. They are actually a chain of fluffy pancake shops, so you can find them around Tokyo and Osaka as well. Its popularity speaks volumes about the chain, as they are always busy at all times of the day.

They have a few variations of their pancakes, mainly varying toppings and prices.

While everything looked delicious, I opted for their Rich Cheese Mousse and Berry Sauce Pancakes for 1250￥ ($11.50 USD) and a hot coffee for 200￥ more.

Jenny ordered the Kyoto-only Hojicha Tiramisu Pancakes and Josie the Seasonal Fruits Pancakes. As you can see, they all looked absolutely deliciously decadent.

The texture was unbelievably fluffy, soft, and pillowy. Never before have I ever had such light, yet rich pancakes, though they do not taste at all like the typical American diner pancakes. They are more akin to the eggy taste of a Chinese egg tart with the softness of a bread pudding. Which means delicious.

The toppings, too, were varied between our dishes, though I definitely think I had the best choice with the creaminess of cheese and whip complementing the sweet eggyness of the pancake, cut with tartness from the berry sauce. Ridiculously delicious with a price to match.

Would it be worth the wait? To those seeking a savory-sweet snack (there are those options available) or a sweet treat, definitely. I’d personally prefer to wait for a ramen, but you know, sometimes having a lovely meal with some lovely ladies is a nice change of pace.

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Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe (ファイナルファンタジーエオルゼアカフェ) in Osaka

A Happy Pancake (幸せのパンケーキ) in Kyoto