Meet Fluffy:
Fluffy was born on September 14th, 2008 and was the softest and whitest of the litter. She hops, plays and is wonderfully furry and plump. She has been on a strict diet of lettuce, carrots and whole milk. Her pink eyes will melt your heart. Fluffy will go nicely with our stuffing which features toasted pecans and chunks of apple in a soft, moist bread base. Fluffy can be served medium well to well done.
This is just one example of the menu at "Cuteness" a recently opened restaurant in the Los Angeles area that has caused a little controversy. Each menu consists of a photo and a bio of each animal and reservations have to be made at the minimum of a month in advance. The entrees vary from small cute bunnies, hamsters & ducklings to the larger family meals that consist of fawns & calves.
Menu's have to be requested and are received in a gold envelope with a personalized touch. Once the meal has been selected the future diners must put down a $500 deposit and return their selections. Two weeks prior to the reservation the diners are required to travel 40 miles outside of the city to a farm. This farm is where all of the animals reside and the diners are required to spend the day with their future meal. Caring for, feeding, walking and bathing are a few of the activities that are scheduled for the day. Once the day has been completed the future diners decide whether to keep the reservation or take the animal home. A contract is signed prior to the farm visit that states a decision to either not keep the reservation or not taking the animal home will result in a $10,000 fine. This allows the restaurant owners to protect themselves against those who may try and undermine their process and keep the animal activists at bay.
"There is nothing wrong with what we are doing. There are many restaurants that do much worse. We care for the animals and treat them with respect" says the owner Paulie Butcher. "Our guests get a unique experience. Many find it wonderful that they can bond with and even thank the animal before they dine. It can be very emotional".
Although many groups have been protesting it hasn't stopped Cuteness from operating successfully and they are currently booked through June of 2009. Entree prices range from $450-$9,200 and is given three-and-a-half out of four stars.
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