Jamie Oliver’s latest London venture has mostly attracted attention for its eco-friendly ethos (all furniture is recycled and much of the produce is local) and its emphasis on all-American fare, like burgers and chicken fingers. But the decor, designed by artist Jay Jay Burridge, is perhaps the strangest part of Jamie’s Diner: apropos of absolutely nothing (except maybe the “Dinersaur” pun), it’s entirely dinosaur-themed, complete with life-sized models and specially designed prints.
Novel as the idea of a dinosaur-themed diner might seem at first, we couldn’t help but notice the restaurant’s more-than-passing resemblance to Jurassic Fork, the totally fictional spot in Patterson, Indiana that’s the favorite haunt of Parks and Recreation character Jerry Gurgich. Jamie’s Diner may not offer specialties like the “Jerk Chicken Veloci-wrap,” but the similarities are uncanny: all that’s missing are animatronic figurines.
To prove our point, we’ve compiled a handy visual comparison of Oliver’s new spot and central Indiana’s premier novelty restaurant. Click through for a side-by-side look at the two dinosaur-themed spots and judge for yourself whether Burridge took some inspiration from America’s favorite sitcom.
[via Creative Review]