The old saying that there's no accounting for good taste applies to a local restaurant chain in Shenzhen where the decor is all about toilets and the food is supposed to be kind of crappy.

Known for its slogan "dinning on a toilet", the restaurant is decorated to resemble big lavatories, with two big toilets sitting at the front entrance.

Customers sit on toilets, which, thankfully, are covered with colorful glass. Glass-top dinning tables are shaped like squat toilets.

Mr. Lin, the boss of the four-restaurant chain, got the inspiration to set up a "toilet-themed" restaurant after visiting an exhibition in Paris on toilets.

"No. 1 toilet ice", the most popular dish is made of ice balls, rice dotted with coconut and served in a small toilet-like platter. The dish looks like something someone would flush down a toilet.

Ms. Luo, manager of one of the four restaurants, was quoted as saying that the restaurant was quite popular with trendy young people and business is very good.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2006)