The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai is a wonderful and charming follow up to The Kamogawa Food Detectives. A cosy, gentle mystery focused on food memories and introspection, I love this small corner of the world Kashiwai has created. It is a novel that honours the power of a meal and conversation. Enchanting and emotional it is a perfect weekend read to dip into this winter.
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BLURB:
Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner. Running this unique establishment are a father-daughter duo who serve more than just mouth-watering feasts.
The pair have reinvented themselves as ‘food detectives’, offering a service that goes beyond traditional dining. Through their culinary sleuthing, they reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a connection to cherished moments from the past.
Among those who seek an appointment include: a one-hit wonder pop star, finally ready to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career, wants to try the tempura that she ate to celebrate her only successful record and a budding Olympic swimmer who desires the bento lunch box that his estranged father used to make him. The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve meals – it revives lost recipes and rekindles forgotten memories. It’s a doorway to the past through the miracle of delicious food.
REVIEW:
This is such easy reading in its episodic structure, with each chapter its own story within the diner focused on a particular dish and person. I read it in a single day. The description and details of the food were delightful and delicious, making me very hungry. So ensure you have some snacks on hand while reading. Or order some take out.
The connection of food for each character evokes memories and nostalgia that takes the reader on a journey of understanding. Small quiet moments in the present contrast with life altering memories within each clients past. The result is emotional and heartfelt. For a cake may just provide closure. And bento box may heal a fractured parental relationship. This book is a comforting slice of life read thick with nostalgia and memory. I really enjoyed the characters we got to meet in this one, but “Christmas cake” might’ve been my favourite story within it. My heart broke and healed with that one.
“The true legacy lies not in the name, but in the teaching”
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is a beautiful addition to this growing genre, where people and their decisions are examined and considered in a compassionate way. It is like returning to a warm and relaxing place of comfort. With a third book on the way I look forward to this growing series.
Until next time,
Rating: 4 Stars
Genre: Cosy Mystery
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