I was never very much a Barbie girl. Sure I had the Barbie dollhouse but I rarely played with it and I can’t even remember what happened to my Barbies of which I think I only had three (which I’m told is a very small number.) Fast forward 20 years and I’m oddly intrigued by Barbie. How does she stay so loyal to Ken? How did she inspire a whole slew of designers to design for her? Is it hard juggling the hundred or so careers she’s embarked on? Did she ever experience the mid-life crisis? What diet tips does Barbie have? Is she anorexic or bulimic?

Anyway, the reason for this tangent is that Barbie Shanghai just launched the world’s first Barbie dining experience. Cue the gasps. Barbie eats? Is this kind of like the Hello Kitty cafes where it seems to be a bit of an oxymoron to have a café named for a cat that doesn’t have a mouth? According to the press release, “Shanghai-based celebrity chef-restaurateur David Laris has created several fun and sophisticated dining destinations within its six-level flagship store.” So what can we expect?