Royal/T Cafe (Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years of Hello Kitty/In Bed Together: Art & Bites from Ludo Lefebvre) - Culver City (Closed)

The first weekend after "Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years of Hello Kitty" opened at Royal/T Cafe in Culver City, my friend DP and I decided to stop by. She even "dressed up" for the occasion, wearing her Hello Kitty watch. :P Alas, it was not to be as the lines went out the door and down the block, on both sides. Insane!

Later that week, I came back with Weezer Monkey and her friend Glam. The "Three Apples" refers to Hello Kitty's weight.

We weren't really there for the food. Well, we did plan to eat, but we were really there to check out the Hello Kitty madness.

I own that Hello Kitty juicer on the second shelf, far left. I had the waffle iron but I left it upright on top of my fridge for display because if I'm going to own a Hello Kitty waffle iron, it must be displayed. Only, the top of a fridge is not the best place for such things. Shattered beyond repair. :(

These were teeny, tiny.

Even celebrities love Hello Kitty. Paris Hilton wore the dress on the left, Lady Gaga the one in the middle, and Katy Perry wore the Hello Kitty outfit on the right.



Weezer Monkey wore her Hello Kitty Goth necklace by Tarina Tarantino for our girly outing. Glam wore a Hello Kitty T-shirt. I guess I should've swapped out my usual purse for my Hello Kitty one too. Oh well.

Royal/T Cafe is a restaurant and art space so the Hello Kitty stuff was displayed on the walls and in various rooms.

I love the photo below just because those ladies sure looked happy. Just women having fun out with their girlfriends.

I (heart) nerds too.

After about half an hour of waiting, our table was ready.

The pot of tea that came with our afternoon tea set. Wedgwood silverware. Fancy!

Hello Kitty's Kawaii High Tea. $25!

Hello Kitty-branded chicken and artichoke sandwiches, tuna tartare, and sushi.

Hello Kitty plastic rings embedded in cupcakes, green tea flan, and a brownie.

And the piece de resistance - a Hello Kitty cookie.

So kawaii, or Japanese "cuteness" if you will.

Of course, we knew the overpriced tea set wouldn't fill us up. So Weezer Monkey and I shared kobe beef sliders served with a quail egg, tomato chutney, and blue cheese with caramelized onions for $10. I liked all of them, but the blue cheese was my favorite.

Glam decided to be healthy and ordered the grilled miso chicken salad for $10. I had a bite of the chicken and it was surprisingly juicy and flavorful.

Weezer Monkey and I also ordered the Hello Kitty Super Yummy Waffles for $7. Yes. *Sniffle.* These waffles were what my Hello Kitty waffle iron made. Nothing special except for the shape. The foods we order just for our blogs...

Royal/T is a Japanese cosplay cafe so the waitresses wore French maid costumes.

More Hello Kitty madness.

I've flown Eva Air and I never got any Hello Kitty stuff. :(

Can you see the Hello Kitty faces in the carnations?

Lady Gaga again.

Shortly after, Weezer Monkey and I were back at Royal/T again for "In Bed Together: Art & Bites from Ludo Lefebvre." It was an interesting crowd. Older folks there for the art. Younger folks (mainly food bloggers) there for chef Ludo.

Hello waved Weezer Monkey, who was my +1 for the night.

I don't have cable so I had no idea who Ludo was until Gourmet Pigs mentioned Ludo Bites at Breadbar earlier this summer. Blogger buzz built. I never went myself, but I was curious to see if his food was worth the hype.

Scallops, pineapples, and the black powder was black sesame maybe? It was good but I only got a small sample.

Buckwheat crepes with goat cheese and bacon jam. Mmm.

Just two bites of Ludo's food.

Then we wandered around to check out the exhibit. From Hello Kitty one week to this melange the next, the art is constantly rotating at Royal/T.

Beef-wrapped asparagus. The rest of the appetizers were Royal/T's, not Ludo's food.


Fries.

Since the exhibit was called "In Bed Together," there was a photo opp with scantily-clad models. I waited in line so Weezer Monkey could have her picture, but opted out for myself. Just what would I do with a photo of myself and half-naked random strangers?

Evidently, my prudish self was in the minority.

Tuna tartare on wonton chips.

Weezer Monkey's photo in hand, we said our good-byes and went to Versailles Cuban Food Restaurant - Culver City for dinner. Lemon garlic roast chicken!

We were both directionally challenged. Even though I knew Versailles was nearby, I couldn't figure out how to get there from my Thomas Guide. Weezer Monkey was looking on her iphone's GPS. HC of LA and OC Foodventures, who decided to join us, left Royal/T after us and got there before us, while we were still sitting in my car trying to figure it out. :P

Royal/T always has rotating art exhibits. A normal non-Hello Kitty afternoon tea comes with more than a dozen varieties of tea. Food is generally between $10 to $15. Waitresses are always in French maid costumes, if that's your thing. And even if it's not, the food actually is pretty good.

Who else hit up Royal/T for Hello Kitty?
Weezer Monkey's way nicer photos of our evening.
Yeah Manh went the next-to-last day and waited in line for 3 hours before he could get inside!
Rants and Craves dragged her husband while she OD'd on the cuteness.

January 29, 2013 update: Sadly, Royal/T Cafe closed last year.

Royal/T Cafe
8910 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232-2326
310-559-6300
10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

*****
1 year ago today, lahmajoun made by Mexican bakers at Abraham Partamian Armenian Bakery - Los Angeles (Mid-City).
2 years ago today, where I've eaten AKA I didn't know I was such a glutton and how you can be one too.
3 years ago today, Turkey Tetrazzini from my Thanksgiving turkey leftovers.