Modern Toilet

Two diners eating at Modern Toilet restaurant

Modern Toilet is a unique bathroom-themed restaurant chain with several locations located in Hong Kong and Taiwan.^[1]

Everything in the 2,800-square-foot (260 m²), three-story restaurant is based on items from a bathroom. The checkered tile covered walls are adorned with showerheads, while plungers hang from the ceiling along with fæces-shaped lights. The chairs are actual unworking toilets, dishes are served on plastic miniature toilet bowls, and drinks in miniature urinals.^[2] Owner Wang Tzi-Wei opened Modern Toilet after the success of his ice cream shop that sold swirls of ice cream served in mini toilets.^[3] It is not odd for Taiwan to host restaurants with unusual themes. Taiwan also has eating locales that resemble jailhouses and hospitals.^[4]

History

Toilet hot pot

Owner Wang Zi-Wei, an ex-banker, stated that his inspiration for the bathroom themed restaurant came from a robot character from the Japanese cartoon Dr. Slump who loved to "play with poop and swirl it on a stick." From this cartoon inspiration, he started a successful ice cream shop selling swirled chocolate ice cream on top of paper squat toilets. The chain of Modern Toilets started in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and now has 12 restaurants in Taiwan, and Hong Kong with future locations planned in Macau and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.^[5]

Dining

Bathtub gratin dish

Customers dine while sitting on acrylic toilets adorned with "roses, seashells or renaissance paintings." The tables that the meals are served on are bathroom sinks covered with glass tops. Meals are served in miniature toilet bowls and drinks are in miniature plastic urinals which the customers can take home with them as a souvenir. Dessert ice cream is served in a dish that resembles a squat toilet.^[5]

References

1. ^ "Extreme Restaurants". The Travel Channel L.L.C.. http://www.travelchannel.com/Travel_Ideas/Food_and_Wine/ci.Extreme_Restaurants.artTravelIdeasFmt?vgnextfmt=artTravelIdeasFmt. Retrieved 27 November 2009. 
2. ^ Jennings, Ralph; Reuters (2007-11-17). "Toilet-themed restaurant a flash in the pan". http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,22756557-27977,00.html. Retrieved 27 November 2009. 
3. ^ "Taiwan — Modern Toilet Restaurant". Wordpress. http://mrnaomi.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/taiwan-modern-toilet-restaurant/. Retrieved 27 November 2009. 
4. ^ Jennings, Ralph (2007-11-14). "Toilet-themed restaurant a flash in the pan". News Limited. http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,22756557-27977,00.html. Retrieved 28 November 2009. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Tso, Natalie (2009-03-02). "Edible Excretions: Taiwan's Toilet Restaurant". Time Inc. http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1882569,00.html. Retrieved 28 November 2009. 

External links

	Taiwan portal
	Food portal

• Modern Toilet