A new cartoon-themed restaurant wants to bring out the big kid
in all of us.
The restaurant in the Guangdong city of Shunde serves up a feast
for both the eyes and the stomach, with good food and plenty of
guiltless cartoon viewing.
"We like to come over at the weekend to refresh ourselves," a
high school student called Ah Wen said about the new eatery.
"We eat here while watching some cartoon movies this helps us
relax so that we can be better energized for next week's
studying."
While watching the Japanese cartoon "Initial D" on a big screen
right above him, Ah Wen said many of his classmates loved watching
cartoons.
"Previously we could only watch them (cartoons) alone at home
but now we can enjoy them together here, which is really much more
fun."
Xiao Min, Ah Wen's classmate is also impressed with the
restaurant.
"It is very cool," she said.
"I have never heard of this type of restaurant before."
Located in Shunde's Daliang pedestrian street, the restaurant is
the first cartoon-themed restaurant in Shunde.
Everything in the restaurant is related to cartoons, both in
design and feel, even selling cartoon merchandise.
"The prices of the products vary from 20 yuan ($2.56) to 70 yuan
($8.97) and some cartoon models can cost a cartoon lover hundreds,"
a staff member said.
"Not only students but also white collars are frequent buyers
here.
"Because they (white collars) have stable source of income, they
generally spend more (on their favorite cartoon products)."
Cartoons are popular for both youngsters and grown-ups alike,
and the industry is a huge money-spinner.
"The cartoon industry is one of the booming industries in
developed countries such as the United States and Japan," Yang
Sizhong, a visiting professor at Shenzhen University, said.
(China Daily April 4, 2007)