Here in the United States, we do silly things like honor our precious movie stars by naming sandwiches after them. To name a few, there are the “Woody Allen” at Carnegie Deli in New York, “The Salma” and “The Kiera” at Hot Doug's in Chicago, and “Marilyn Monroe”–a Thanksgiving-style turkey sandwich served at Flashback Diner in Florida.
Food culture is slightly different in Japan though. In the land of the rising sun, it isn't uncommon to find food dishes that are inspired by popular video games. That's right, eating a dish that looks like your favorite video game character is quite common in Japan.
Don't worry, don't expect to see something as creepy as eating a grilled Pikachu after the jump (there are some things that come awfully close though!). The following are five video game-inspired dishes from Japan.
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5. Brain Cake Dessert (Inspired by Resident Evil 5)
Scheduled to open in Tokyo on January 25, the “Cap Bar” plans to be a tribute to all things Capcom-related. It'll be filled with Capcom arcade games, merchandise, and this: a dessert cake that is inspired by the zombie-infested Resident Evil series. According to the description: “Zombies are targeting your brain. Equip the blade and fight!” What they're probably trying to say is that you should use a knife to eat this cake.
4. “Allaculte” and Meat on a Bone (Inspired by Monster Hunter Series)
I'm not too sure what the hell “allaculte” is supposed to be, but whatever it is, it looks just like the meat and bones meal that your warrior eats in the Monster Hunter games. Now if only you can murder a giant dragon with your friends before eating one of these dishes to get the authentic Monster Hunter experience. Tasty!
3. Slime Meat Buns (Inspired by Dragon Quest Series)
A Slime-shaped meat bun draws near! Found in Luida's Bar in Tokyo, this Dragon Quest-themed eatery houses many dishes and costumed wait staff inspired by the the country's most popular role playing game. Dragon Quest IX fans will recognize that the bar was named after the virtual pub found in the game, and is a Disneyland-like recreation in which the on-screen world of Dragon Quest comes to life for fans to enjoy.
These slime buns are basically pork-filled steamed buns, but with the iconic dopey smile of the blue slime.
2. Appetizer Salad & Soup (Inspired by Devil Kings Series)
Start off your meal at the Cap Bar with the appetizer salad and soup based on the semi-popular beat-em-up game Devil Kings. Sure, this is part of their “teaser menu,” but how does one expect to eat what looks like a plucked flower presented on a plate?
1. Pasta and Rice (Inspired by the Ace Attorney Series…Somehow)
It's not very clear why a seafood pasta dish has anything to do with stylish Japanese lawyers, but no one is going to object that this meal looks as good and enjoyable as the Ace Attorney games. What appears to be black rice noodles with octopus and shrimp, this sure looks a lot more appetizing than flower on a plate, “meat” on a bone, or a brain.
