Polpo

Polpo, a family-run Italian restaurant a couple minutes' walk from Sakura Station on the Keisei Line.

While JR Sakura is fairly bustling, Keisei Sakura has been declining steadily in the past decade or so. This is one of the few proper restaurants in the area, and while the menu and decor have remained unchanged for at least twenty years, its dependability is definitely a virtue.

Despite the solid, inexpensive lunch and dinner sets, I always order my favorites à la carte. First, their vegetable soup... 

...and depending on my mood, their chicken salad with balsamic dressing, or their fried chicken. (Admittedly, I always choose the least Italian things on the menu.)

Vegetable peperoncino, a first for me and off the day's menu.

Moomin Bakery and Cafe

 

Despite previously not having any opinion whatsoever on the character Moomin, I found myself at the Moomin Bakery and Cafe in Tokyo Dome City LaQua. Based on Tove Jansson's books, Moomin and co. are wildly popular in Japan.

It was interesting to see how an atmosphere presumably befitting the Moomin character (I've never read the books or seen the animated series) had been created: warm, cuddly, and inclusive.

To wit: the waitresses will come around to the tables, politely asking if Sniff/Little My/Snufkin can join in. They are then sat down as part of your party. Since the stuffed animals are generally life-sized, there are eerie moments when you feel as if the dolls are actually participating in your conversation.

Cutlery featuring the other characters in the books. They may all look the same, but the hat-wearer is Moominpapa, and the flower-bearer is Snorkmaiden, Moomin's playmate.

The Hattifatteners line the windows.