Actually, I had been waiting for this opening for quite some time as the place is the creation of our buddy Doug Schafer and company. I often work in a certain "other cafe" in Japan, but have grown tired of it a bit (and their new "no using our electric outlets" policy was the last straw). This new Cafe called Shakers is amazing and has a great location in Namba station (across from Namba Parks). http://www.shakers.jp/ I am sure to become a regular.
Doug is very much into design and it shows in every little detail in the cafe. Here are a few iPhone snaps from brunch (yes, the sign below says branch...close enough).
Just the 2nd day open and it is packed (with no advertising). Very nice, 100% smoke free, open atmosphere with free WI-FI and even a few outlets for those who want to work on their next book, etc. It has an open kitchen which means they have less storage space and therefore a smaller menu. Those constrains are all part of it and by choice. Limitations are a good thing, and the open atmosphere of the kitchen is wonderful. Their menu is actually not so limited really, and what they do have is great. The coffee was fantastic too.
Repetition. A fundamental design principle is repetition of some key element(s). In Shakers' case they have teamed up with SOZ ( http://snipurl.com/skhda ), a creative company in Osaka that has become famous for its Carpenter Blocks. The "+" mark serves a function in the blocks, of course, and have become a symbol for the SOZ company. The relationship is expressed on the menu with the "+" mark which has double meaning. The "+" mark (which has a positive feeling to it, obviously) is repeated in furniture, partitions, and in some of the cookies, etc.
I had the salmon, spinach, cream cheese omelette. Their own creation. Fantastic! Here you notice we moved to the more comfortable seats (thanks to the kindness of the owner; but no seats are bad). A very nice ambiance indeed.
Had to get some M&M cookies for the road :-) If you are in Namba station, checkout the new Shakers Cafe. I'm sure I'll be going back with my MacBook next time to enjoy the coffee and get some writing done as well.
Checkout the company's videocasts as well: http://tastylife.toyobeverage.com/
