South of Omotesando-dori near Harajuku station there's a maze of little streets and alleys centred around Cat Street, that are home to myriad funky little boutiques, shops and cafes. Looking for lunch one day I was wanting to find somewhere that opened early, had a laid-back atmosphere, and wasn't too expensive. I eventually settled on KTM Cafe, which I assume is owned and run or at least franchised by the (checks Wikipedia) Austrian motorcycle company, judging by the bike parked outside and the lavish product placement inside.
Commercialism aside, the interior is decked out in modern north European style; it's very light and airy, with plenty of natural light, shelves rather than walls (better for displaying KTM goods), and plants that balance the bright orange of the company logo and merchandise. That makes for a lively, youthful vibe, along with the softish alt-rock soundtrack, and the screen with clips of outdoorsy types engaging in sports like base-jumping, cliff diving, skateboarding and other such adrenalin boosters.
It being lunchtime, I went for a ¥950 lunch set, the "set" part meaning that I'd get a a drink and a cup of soup with my Thai curry pie. I was a bit surprised by the smallness of the mashed potato and mashed peas when the meal arrived - one not-very-generous ice cream scoop of each - and the soup was equally underwhelming in size. However, the pie itself made up in quality what was lacking in quantity: there was little in it other than tender, tasty chicken, authentically fragrant without being too hot.
Other main dishes on the English menu include beef pie, a locomoco plate, daily pasta and curry specials, and falafel pita or roast beef and avocado sandwiches. (I assume only the beef is roasted.) Desserts such as affogato, ice cream or a daily cake cost between ¥400 and ¥550, as do soft drinks, tea and coffee.
If you want something stronger, then for ¥850 you have a choice of four Australian beers, XXXX, Foster's, Toohey's and VB. There are a couple of other beers on the menu, while ¥650 will get you a cocktail, a highball or a glass of wine. For the area those aren't bad prices, making KTM Cafe a decent spot for a relaxed evening drink or dinner.
