Cafe La Siesta

Jun 042009

Cafe la Siesta is a Spanish themed cafe in Kyoto offering a taste of the Mediterranean for homesick hispanics and interested others. Just kidding, that would actually make sense. This is Japan after all, where foreign words are legally not allowed to be used for anything approaching their original purpose. That being the case Cafe La Siesta is in fact a bar in Kiyamachi offering retro video games and beer.

Now we know what the retro video game crowd are thinking right now: “retro video game systems next to beer? That’s like putting the sperm bank donation counter next to the “free shot of milkshake” dispensing window!” A good point well made, young nerdling. We shared your concern.

This is a full-sized TV in something more awesome than a full-size Gameboy

True as that may be, the consoles in this particular establishment seem to have been treated with the same care by the customers as they have been with the dedicated collectors who set up the bar in the first place.

Food factoids: Cafe La Siesta have a variety of dishes such as hand-made tacos priced at 550yen, home-made soy milk bread sandwiches, healthy veggie taco rice for 700yen and original fruit cocktails starting from 600yen. You could also try the all new vegetarian menu.

The games are left on the tables in boxes and CD cases utterly unattended. We’re talking about rare TurboGrafx-16 games that come on cartridges about the same dimensions as a credit card. That’s a cool souvenir even if you don’t have a TurboGrafx-16 system on which to play them. You gotta love Japan.

There is an original Famicom with the floppy disc drive that was never even released in England. Within minutes of arriving the ORAZ massive was snapping away like the paparazzi at a nip-slip convention.

TurboGrafx games. They look like credit cards. Wantz.

Booze factoids: The café and bar also offer beer, wine and shochu that you can enjoy along with your nutritious video games.

There’s also an original Super Famicom with a Mario-adorned case full of retro-tastic games to be played on a TV IN A GIANT GAMEBOY SHAPED CASE. Yes, you read that right. They have a Gameboy the size of a refridgerator in this bar. They also have Famicom shaped cushions for you to sit on and other, non-console retro electronic games for you to play on while waiting for a go on the table-top arcade machine.

Internet factoids: There are two computer terminals that offer free internet access. You are also welcome to bring your own laptop.

In short, this tiny little bar is a magic find. If you’re not sold yet, perhaps the addition of regular DJ sessions of retro video game music will not be enough to sway you. However, if you have the tiniest glimmer of interest. If there’s even an iota of the 10 year old nerd you used to be left inside you, then trust uncle Of Rice and Zen when we say you really owe it to that deprived little boy, the one who wanted to grow up in Japan but sadly couldn’t, to come here.

Famicom cushion! Wantz.

You need to make it up to that little boy. Take him on a little trip to Cafe La Siesta and let him out of the most repressed reaches of your psyche. Let him play for a while. However, if the worst happens and he won’t climb back inside his box of pent up psychic shame, then ORAZ will not be held responsible for the hefty Ebay bill that results from the retro console shopping spree that is sure to follow.

Zelda propping up the menu