Yes, My Princess!

So, most Americans know what a Maid Cafe is. A little eatery with your basic stuff, except that girls dressed in french maid out fits serve you and call you master or madame and flirt with you.
But did you know Japan has Butler Cafes?

I went to a Butler Cafe last Sunday. In fact it was called "Butlers." I wanted to go to a Butlers and Maid (thats right, both) just to see what it was like and to be able to say I went there. I really wasn't expecting much, like a burger joint with average or maybe a LITTLE above average caucasian guys working there, calling you mistress. Boy was I surprised at what I found instead.

The restaurant was hidden away, we actually got lost looking for it. Of course we made it a bit harder to find than it REALLY was. But it was in a part of Shibuy we had never been to before, which made it hard. It was also on one of the upper floors of a building, which is often the case of restaurants in Japan.

We had to take this tiny little elevator up to the what-ever-floor. When we exited there was a TINY entrance platform, that led out from behind the bar to a little sitting area of the restaurant. The whole place seemed to be made on doll house scale because it was very very small. It looked a bit like a doll house made to look like a Victorian garden party gone wrong. There were fake roses of different pastel colors every where. little pictures of dolls and small tables. They actually had a raised platforms on each wall that had little coffee tables on them with little couches and lacy curtains to give an illusion of privacy, did I mention everything was very white. Needless to say, I felt a touch out of my element at this point, usually I do not see so much white nor am treated to things so girly, in such great quantities on a regular basis.

The guys who met us at the door (a.k.a. the tiny little space that you stepped onto when you got out of the elevator) were actually caucasian (I had expected Japanese guys) and they were cuter than I thought they would be, in fact they were definitely above average cute if not down right hot. I was honestly a little surprised. The stories I had heard of maid and butler cafes I was expecting them to be like ordinary Japanese or white guys, nothing special, not a particularly attractive, just doing a whole bunch of bowing and scraping. Well there was a whole bunch of bowing and scraping but there was also a bunch of drooling going on on the part of us.

They escorted us to our seat, and even did the chair-slide-in-thing that should be done in mansions at great galas when the ladies are wearing large hoop skirts. They actually did it well to. Since women usually don't know how to do this fun move, I will give a little how to.

Sitting down gracefully when a man is pushing in your chair: 101
-The guy is not going to let you sit down and then try and shove/wiggle the chair under the table. That is un-graceful, it wrinkles the carpet, and is awkward for both parties involved.
-Do a basic kind of squat position (for those who don't work out, bend your knees, standing as close to the table as you can, you can put your hands on the table for support, try not to lean over the table but keep your back straight (if you were wearing a corset as in the old days you would have no say as to weather your back was straight or not.)
-Nows the guys turn. Wait for him to slide the chair under your now waiting bum. When it hits the back of your knees you can begin your decent.
-Your feet should be close enough together that the chair will go over your heels as you slowly sit, and thus the chair will be closer to your table. This is actually a good work out move and is kind of hard to keep your balance, it's kind of like a ballet move.
-You should be able to get pretty close to the table that way. Practice with a significant other at home, show off to your parents when you go out for family dinners ^_^

Anyways, once seated PROPERLY, the waiters (there were only three and the head waiter who kinda looked like Lurch, in a cool way I thought) introduced them selves. We were called Princess... in fact, THEIR Princess.... it pleased me. Something else that made me happy was what they brought us. We each got a small glass of Rose Water. Now I love this stuff, you can find it at organic stores most of the time. I get the cosmetic kind and put it in my bath water, in my hair if it is fly away, use it as perfume, spray my clothes with it if my closet is stuffy, this stuff can do everything. You can find the type for drinking, but it's a bit harder. I have also had sugar crusted rose petal, which was one of the best things I have ever had.

I sipped that slowly, trying to savor it, it's hard to find and a wonderful thing when you do. Amazingly I know of another place in Tokyo where you can get rose infused drinks. There is a coffee stop in Shibuya station called Dean and Delucio (or something like that) and they have a lime and rose soda thing, that is to DIE for. I get it most of the time I go past there. It's a bit pricey, but dang it is good.

Digressing. The Butlers (Marcus and Eddy) showed us the meanues and talked about the specials and some of their favorites, and also gave us a list of things that could not be done while in the restaurant. Taking pictures of the Butlers was one, you can take pictures of yourself though, which was nice because I made sure I looked very good this day and got many compliments (my profile pic is one of the results of the trip.) No yelling at the Butlers. You were given a bell at each table, if you rang the bell all the Butlers would say (Yes, my Princess!) in unison and one would get over to your table. You weren't allowed to be all "Yo, Butler dude, get over here and serve me." or beckon them in any other form besides the bell. My guess is so they could get as many "Yes-my-Princess"s in as they could. There were some others that I couldn't remember.

The menu was also better than I thought it would be. I took a Butlers advice and got a pizza (with some strange and unnecessary French name) that was a very nice cheese pizza with a pesto sauce and asparagus and tomato. It was very good and had a tiny, thin, crunchy, buttery crust that I loved. Others got a pasta, and one person in my group got a salmon and cheddar pannini that looked amazing, I might have to get it next time.

There was a second menu you could order from, a slightly more expensive menu. It was the Butlers specials menu. On this was certain things you could order specially from the Butlers. For example, they had the Butlers Special Cocktail, which I actually ordered. It was really funny, the Butler (mine was this cute guy, about 5,7 with dark brown hair, chocolate eyes, and a really nice smile) walks up and say "excuse me miss, could I ask you to look deep into my eyes and I will find what your perfect drink will be" and gives you a wonderful sultry look, straight in the eye (I am pleased they can keep eye contact so well) and is like "aha, I think I have the perfect drink in mind for you!" They walk off to make your drink. When they brought it back it was this towering slushy in various shades of red and orange. Like a liquid orange red, then red slush, then a maroon slush with this yellow slush on top that I think was made with melon. It was a really good drink and they guy got it exactly right.

At some point they also brought over a bunch of crowns and placed them on our heads. It was very nice, mine had a little danglie heart in the middle. It was a lot of fun having a cute dude put a crown on your head. They also had you close your eyes when they brought out your food and put it in front of you. They had drawn little personal notes in chocolate sauce on the plate like "Princess Eve" with little hearts and stars and swirls all around it. It was kind of awesome.

At some point Maggie stepped out to find two other girls who had said they would come but were running late. Since it was kind of hard to find. Luckily it didn't take them long and soon we were all sitting at a table with little tiaras on our head munching delicious food and drinking awesome looking personalized beverages.

At some point someone cut the music and the lights. I jumped about a foot when they killed Tchaikovsky. And all of a sudden Cinderella Waltz comes on and all of the Butlers come out from in back with a little candelabra in hand. They start looking all up and down the room in a mock search saying "Where is my Cinderella?" "Have you seen my Cinderella? I cannot find her"
"Where is my Princess, where is Cinderella?" It was bloody hilarious and Danyelle was turning red from trying not to burst out laughing. I think at this point she finally gave up and just started laughing her pretty little head off, we were all teary eyed by the time the poor Butlers had finally made their way around the tiny room. When they finally came to one of the little low down tables with the couch, they announced to the room that "We have found Cinderella!" which we all applauded to, since it was what we were supposed to do. And then they set up a meal for the ladies in question and announced that "Our Cinderella is safe!!" to which we all applauded again. It was quite silly and I REALLY want it done. It was hilariously funny.

It really was great fun and I got lots of pictures. Meaghan and one of the Butlers were trying to convince me to let him lift me. But I had a skirt on and didn't want to flash my butt to the rest of the room or in the picture. So I declined and said I would return for a lifting in the near future, which I intend to do, that Butler was hot and looked tall and strong enough to lift me effectively. So I will totally let him do it, and will enjoy it.

I am planning to go back sometimes in May, I will let you know how that adventure goes. I am thinking about getting lifted and the Cinderella treatment. We will see, I will undoubtedly return with some very interesting pictures.

Otsukuresama-
Eve