Going to the opening of the DC Super Heroes Cafe comes with the territory of being a wife to a comic book geek, a daughter to a former local comic book illustrator, and a mother to a real-life speedster. c”,) My husband Omar told me about this two weeks ago and I saw his eyes sparkle while he was talking about it. Haha!
We were going back and forth if we would go because for South people like us, SM Megamall is a province. Haha! I’ve seen quite a number of comic-book-themed places already like the JLA Watchtower Bldg. in BF Parañaque, Yexel’s Toy Museum in Manila Ocean Park (a part of it is DC-and-Marvel-themed), and the usual comic cons and toycons. So I was wondering what would make this place different.
Well, to sum it up in a few words, IT WAS WORTH THE TRIP!
We had the chance to talk to the owner, Edric Chua, who was wearing a badass Superman leather jacket, and the first thing I told him was, “When I walked in, I knew this place was built by someone really passionate about comic books.” The attention to detail was spectacular. Edric said, “Thank you so much, that’s really good to hear. Honestly, it was all heart.”
He shared that he has been a DC fanboy since he was a kid and he is still a comic book collector up to now, but he has since shifted to graphic novels already. To which my husband said in delight, “Me, too!” I mean these guys talk smooth like they’re not excited but they’re really geeking out. I could see it in their body language and the way they talk faster than usual. Haha!
You would think that it would just be a restaurant with logos and action figures. But no, it was cleverly designed with details that will excite geeks and educate casual goers. Take for example the doors, it not only shows the logo, it also tells you what comic book the character first appeared on.
The chairs with the real names of DC characters were brilliant! The Hall of Justice dining area had that vintage feel to it. On the ceiling, you will find the “Kingdom Come” cover (excellent series, by the way, highly recommended!). There was also a bat signal on another part of the ceiling.
The watchtower area will take you straight to Gotham. While the Jitters Cafe and Big Belly Burger kitchen counters will give you all the Central City vibes. There were stunning comic book illustrations on the walls, merchandise for sale, and a comic book wall where you can find a good selection of comic books.
I asked Edric how long it took to finish everything from conception to completion. He said two years. One year for the planning and licensing process and another year for construction. He also got a lot of input from DC and the heads of DC fan groups in the Philippine. Edric said that he was really aiming for an experiential restaurant and they achieved it.
I know by now you must be wondering how the food was. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to eat or order anything because they ran out of food. Edric was really apologetic about it and we told him that we totally understand because, hey, no matter how hard you prepare there would still be things beyond your control.
I also think that my husband is happy about it because we have another reason to come back. Haha! And we plan to bring my dad next time because I’m sure he will love the place being the artist that he is. Timmy got a free chocolate smoothie, though! And it came with a free batarang! They also gave away cyborg tote bags with awesome freebies inside.
Some of the highlights of the opening include the presence of cosplayers who graciously accommodated photo ops with fans; and DC, Marvel, and Valiant illustrators like Carlo Pagulayan, Harvey Rolibao, Mico Suayan, and Stephen Segovia who did sketches and signed autographs. The heads and members of DC fan groups were also there including The Dark Knight PH, The Reign of the Supermen, Wonder Woman Collectors PH, Green Lantern Core Philippines, The Flash Philippines, and more.
Check out the DC Super Heroes Cafe at the 4th level of SM Megamall Fashion Hall! They just announced that they are on soft opening starting June 24 and will be open from 6pm to mall closing for the meantime.
P.S. This is not a paid advertisement. I wrote this blog because I genuinely love the place and I love seeing my boys happy. c”,)
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