With a café, Delicious in Dungeon makes a real-life appearance in Shibuya. It’s not just any café, though. In the fantasy world of the recently released anime Delicious in Dungeon, players explore dungeons, engage in combat with monsters, and find treasure. But the food we eat along the road is the true treasure. The creatures, in this instance. One or two new recipes made from the monsters shown in the series are featured in each episode. What would those foods actually look and taste like? Thank goodness, the four-day Shibuya Delicious event at Dungeon Store has the solution.
The two-story store is situated in the Shibuyan_space and was first revealed on Twitter on January 9. Despite its modest size, the store offers plenty of entertainment, including life-sized acrylic statues of the series’ main characters, an introduction to the plot, and samples of monster cuisine and other things on the first level. So this is what we observed.
Entering the Store, one finds themselves in a first floor that is reminiscent of a neighborhood or family-run diner, complete with posters, counter seating, and refreshing beer to sip. The sound of delectable cuisine being made and the sounds of explorers enjoying their company and food are almost audible. Additionally, there are posters covering various topics all around the walls. A calendar with closed days and other events, menu items plastered everywhere, a challenge to finish the scorpion soup in thirty minutes, and advertisements for Red Dragon Beer, staff, and adventures are just a few of the things that may be found there. The two standout features, however, are the covered cage containing a basilisk and the signboards from many Delicious participants in Dungeon.
More posters with a Dungeon theme, similar to those you may see in neighborhood Japanese eateries, line the stairs leading up to the second floor. These give the store an even cozier, more lived-in vibe. When we first arrive at the second floor, the four major characters of Delicious in Dungeon—Laios, Marcille, Chilchuck, and Senshi—are displayed in life-size acrylic stands. Visitors can also get a brief synopsis of the first three episodes in addition to the acrylic standees. It’s a thoughtful addition that helps readers reacquaint themselves with the narrative. Delicious autographed scripts and figurines are also on exhibit. When they leave the store, early arrivals will receive a complimentary limited-edition dragon broth instant ramen pack. As previously reported, the broth includes eggs, soba, and maybe hog ingredients. All three are included in the Dragon Broth Instant Ramen, along with soy and chicken. The dragon broth ramen should not be consumed by anyone with dietary restrictions or allergies to such foods.
Free admission is offered by the Shibuya Delicious Dungeon Store, which was open from Thursday, January 18 to Sunday, January 21. Despite its diminutive size, the venue is appropriate for the notion of a family-run Japanese restaurant hidden away in a small town that serves monster-inspired cuisine. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more pop-up shops similar to this one. Let’s enjoy the false but real monster delicacies from Delicious in Dungeon for the time being.
