The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
A gentle and charming follow-up that serves warmth with every dish, though a bit too familiar, it’s still a cozy and heartfelt read.
By Hisashi Kashiwai & Jesse Kirkwood (Translator)
I felt I was back in the comforting little corner of Kyoto, when I started The Restaurant of Lost Recipes! I enjoyed the first book and was very eager to pick this one up. Once again, we follow the father-daughter duo, Nagare and Koishi, as they help people reconnect with their memories, through food. It's a really gentle read, with each chapter built around a different customer and their lost recipe. If you've read the first book, you’ll know exactly what to expect and maybe that’s both a strength and a weakness this time around.
I genuinely enjoy how Kashiwai blends memory and food together. It’s sweet to see how a dish can carry so much emotional weight and the way the diner recreates not just the taste but the full experience really got me thinking about the meals that shaped my own life. But compared to the first book, this one felt a little too safe. The structure is nearly identical - someone comes in, tells their story, Nagare goes detective mode (off-page, again), and the dish is finally revealed. I was hoping for a bit of a twist or maybe some more development for Koishi or Nagare but we mostly stay in familiar territory.
I do think the stories in this one dig a little deeper emotionally. There’s something really touching about people trying to reconnect with the past, not just for comfort but to heal or to move forward. Some of the chapters hit harder than others and by the end, I did feel that warm, fuzzy satisfaction this series is known for.
Smash Hit Score: 3.75/5
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is a cozy, low-stakes read with some really heartwarming moments but it didn’t surprise me much. Still, if you enjoyed the first book, this one is like going back to your favourite café - you already know what’s on the menu but sometimes that’s exactly what you need.