Now this is a proper #ThrowbackThursday post. This dates back to January 2011, and the back story behind this post is that I did this after my high school class.
Back then, I was so curious of my surroundings that I even walk long distances — and from where I study in the Cainta Municipal Compound, I walked all the way through the Saunterfield Building facing the Brookside Subdivision.
The last time I saw them, MeiDolls was in a small space inside the building — it was not big way back then, and its size was at an estimate of 10 square meters prior to their move at a bigger space in the same building.
Aside from doing the post, I also interviewed the manager Ms. Reia Ayunan and posted it in a podcast [MP3 from Internet Archive](I used my MP3 player’s recorder, and it was recording in the AMR format).
Without further adieu, here’s the my take on MeiDolls, the first maid cafe outside the convention scene, circa January 2011:
MeiDolls Cafe: The First of its Kind in the Philippines
Have you ever thought of a Maid Cafe outside of those Anime Conventions you visit? Me either. But in Cainta, Rizal, there is one. It’s the first in the Philippines, and it’s called MeiDolls Cafe.
Located in the 2nd Floor of the Saunterfield Building around the Ortigas Extension, MeiDolls serve Coffee, Frappé, Pastries, Deli, Pasta and Rice Specialties. Of course, it is served by Maids. Maids, I tell you, Cosplayers who dress up as Maids. Yep, the staff is mostly Cosplayers.
“Irasshaimase, Gosshujin-sama,” the welcome greeting I got as I enter. Inside is the Pink-White-and-Black motif of the cafe’s design, which will be much cooler in the coming weeks. I was a bit shy but I got a heck of it.
I got a chance to chat with the MeiDolls crew (asked them a lot of odd questions), and it will be on Podcast #4 this February. They’re approachable by the way, so don’t be rude and too imbecile to hurt their feelings by purpose. While you’re waiting for the food to be served, have some entertainment. There’s TV in the counter.
Their Grand Opening last Saturday was very successful, and the place was filled by the members of the anime Fanbase (aka Otaku).
Their chairs and tables are designed to have the normal Japanese table setting. The tables were low, and the chairs have no legs, which is a good pairing.
The planning started moons ago and was inspired by Coffee Prince. By the way, their special ingredient is… I’ll tell you when we get the food, which is served with Moe goodness. I’m planning to have a meetup here, but that would be in the coming months. Drop-by there, they’re open from 8:00am daily.
In order to get there, just get a Jeepney ride to Antipolo/Tikling area and stop by Brookside (Landmark is the newly-built Rublou Market Place). Saunterfield Building is more notable for their New Ever Foodmart (Not to be confused with the Ever Gotesco Ortigas).
Some of the fondest moments that I had there is when my senior-slash-schoolpaper fellow Joana, Al and me met there to discuss stuff. I remember celebrating my birthday there once.
Unfortunately, you can no longer see the cafe in its location (it closed shop around 2013), and nowadays Ms. Reia is an ambassador for MigMe (and she’s very active there).
P.S. If you got interested with local maid cafes, check out Talking Apples, which hold events at 121 Bar in Magallanes, Makati.
I still have more gems from the past that I’d love to share on the web log for posterity from time to time (and the rest were the ones that makes me say “Why the heck I wrote about this before?”).