Luida’s Bar, A Resting Place For Weary Dragon Quest Fans

On January 28th, a small restaurant opened in Roppongi. On the walls hang swords on display, and on the bathroom doors are decorations of a winged emblem. The waiters and waitresses are all dressed in fantasy-style clothing, and the menu is nigh incomprehensible to those not in the know. And at the door, on the floor, is a mat with the words Luida’s Bar ~Dragon Quest~.

We’ve covered Luida’s Bar before, but here’s a little more detailed coverage, courtesy of Impress Watch. Luida’s Bar is described as “a bar where travelers gather to search for companions.” Everything is designed with the Dragon Quest games in mind — specifically the newest game, IX — the decorations, the costumes, but especially the menu.

Just as a sample, here are some items on the menu (which the writer of the original article claims were actually good). In the first picture are, from the back forward, Luida’s Prized Pumpkin Salad with Power Seeds, Hassan & Ryan’s Riceballs with Heal Slime, and Chimera Wing Grill. In the second picture, we have, again starting from the very back and going clockwise, Gigantes’ Club, Goddess’ Fruit with Vanilla Ice Cream, Dragon Tail Soup, and Nene’s Bentou Plate.

And don’t forget the Slime! The Dragon Quest mascot has its own dish, the Slime Meat Bun. I’d personally feel a bit bad about eating it, though…

The drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, have their own menu too. For example, there’s the Yggdrasil Droplet, which will make you feel like “you’ve recovered your HP,” a soft drink made from rose, hibiscus, and collagen; and also the Hyad Cool, a cooling alcoholic drink made from gin, green apples, blue curacao, and apples.

The store is a very small establishment, able to house only 25 customers at a time; although if there are more people, numbered tickets will be given out. However, as more customers come, the place will “level up,” so to speak. The menu will change, as well as the decorations, just as things would in a game. Since Luida’s Bar is slated to remain in business for a minimum of one year, it looks like Square Enix is going to be putting everything they can into it.

The reason the restaurant is located in Roppongi is, as quoted, “Dragon Quest has been accepted by not only the niche community, but many more – 4 million – people. There are also a great many 30-40 year old fans. We chose Roppongi because it is a place easily accessible to the average person.” Roppongi is famous for its night life, as well as a whole range of businesses.

There will also be Wi-fi in the store, so people can bring their Nintendo DSes and play, as well as download new quests. You can hang out with other people who also play the game and meet new ones. Luida’s Bar truly is a “place of meeting and parting.”