From Los Pollos Hermanos to Albertsons deli green beans to pizza
on the roof to Walt Jr.'s breakfast gluttony to awkward table-side guacamole
prep, food played an important supporting role in "Breaking Bad."
So maybe it's
little surprise that although the series finale aired nearly two years ago, the
spirit of the greatest TV show of all time (some say) lives on in the form of
novelty food and drink experiences in Turkey and the UK.
Themed cafe
Walter's Coffee Roastery opened in Istanbul in March after a Kickstarter
campaign.
Founder Deniz
Kozan, a German native, originally planned to launch in Brooklyn, but after an
investor backed out New York's loss was Istanbul's gain.
Staff wear
yellow hazmat suits and gas masks similar to those worn in the show by crystal
meth kingpin Walter White and his sidekick, Jesse Pinkman.
Customers can nibble on blue rock candy and
"crystal"-topped cupcakes, with coffee served in beakers, while
seated under a giant Periodic Table painted on the wall.
The Walter
Breakfasts, hearty enough to satisfy Walt Jr. himself, are a specialty.
There are huge
bean holders styled after Walt's chemical tanks, and visitors can buy bags of
#BreakingBeans to take home.
There's no
international shipping available as yet, but the cafe has promised to announce
details on social media as soon as it becomes available.
You might be
wondering if the cafe has copyright clearance for all this.
The answer is:
no.
The cafe says
it's merely inspired by the show, and has been careful to avoid any breach of
copyrighted material.
Like Walter
White himself, they have their eyes on an empire.
They hope to
expand the operation in Turkey, and eventually to Europe and the United States.
How long can love affair last?
Is love for "Breaking Bad" so
strong that customers will continue to head to namesake cafes after the
original novelty has worn off, and as memories of Walt and Jesse fade?
In London,
pop-up bar/laboratory ABQ (as in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the setting of the
show) is taking a more cautious approach.
It's offering
customers "cocktails and chemicals" for three months over the summer.
A £30 ticket
($47) gets you a two-hour session in a customized motor home where drinkers don
jumpsuits and "cook" up their own cocktails.
Drinks include "Blue Flynn" cocktails and Crystal
Bombs with Creme de Mure Caviar.
ABQ London was
created by the people behind London neighborhood app Locappy.
The bar opened
on July 24 and tickets for the first two months sold out in just three days.
It's now
completely sold out for its three-month run, but Locappy founder Seb Lyall
tells us that some reserved tickets will be released through their app.
So, it might
still be possible to have an A1 day.
Or at least a
meal.
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