On April 25th, 2016, I received the worst news of my life. My beloved home, the Rainforest Cafe at the Burlington Mall, in Burlington, MA will be closed for all eternity. For what you might ask? For an even cooler-themed restaurant? No. For a furniture store. Is this a personal attack?
The Rainforest Cafe is a (you guessed it) jungle-themed family restaurant. It's complete with jungle-themed foods and mechanical animals that are set to make noises and blink half-assed every thirty minutes (It's A Small World-esque). It is (or WAS) the only Rainforest Cafe not only in Massachusetts but also New England.
There was nothing better than spending a Saturday night in a lukewarm restaurant while creepy, non-geographically correct animals stared at you. I loved the atmosphere of a pre-pubescent teen serving you mediocre food. I loved getting my coins pressed in the machine while being aware it was a total scam. You could go to a restaurant with GREAT food but would it be the Rainforest Cafe? It's common knowledge that themed restaurants are not that great, but they're unique! How often do you get to say you eat in a jungle? I can't tell you any cool or terrible stories from having dinner at a Bertucci's or a 99's. I remember all of my trips to the Rainforest Cafe. It may be "kitschy" for adults, but for a child, it's terrifying. It's magical. It's iconic.
(Here is a photo of my family and me at the Rainforest Cafe. Don't we look so happy???)
Do you think my brother would run out of a REGULAR restaurant crying? Do you think that I would ask to spend my birthday in a REGULAR restaurant?? My childhood stories come from eating at this place.
I have vivid memories of being dragged around a mall with a friend just to occupy time. They'd take me into a Forever 21, I give fake compliments about their outfits. I am tired, I am bored. Then I see out of the corner of my eye a giant crocodile with coins in his mouth. It made me smile. Was it a mirage? No. It was the Rainforest Cafe.
(Here we are at a furniture store. We are NOT happy!!!)
Aside from the taxidermic elephants with the dead eyes, the cafe is visually pleasing. There were fountains, gold statues, and a beautiful sky of twinkling stars.
This place was iconic. Let's not forget that this was the location where the Oscar Award-winning film Paul Blart: Mall Cop was filmed! Do you think the character Paul Blart would say: "Let's blow up a furniture store! That would be funny." This is the one location that gorillas and children can coexist.
This is too surreal for me. What injustice! The Rainforest Cafe is a wonderful place that will be forever missed. Thank you everything RC, you were truly one of a kind.
