Do you love mystery, investigation, and food? If the answer is YES! Then The Kamogawa Food Detectives 2 : The Restaurant of Lost Recipe is absolutely perfect book for you.

The formula is similar with the previous book. Each chapter is devoted into a different customer and the lost mysterious dishes our detectives must track down. What makes this book unique is that these detectives don’t just find the recipes. They also uncover the emotional backstory behind each dishes, then recreate it in their kitchen for the client. Every nostalgic meals are described with mouthwatering details.

For me, these details are fascinating, though they might feel a bit excessive for readers less interested in traditional Japanese cuisine. 
Each rediscovered dishes comes with a deeply touching stories. But for me, the real highlight of the book is the heartwarming dynamic between the detectives—who happen to be a father-and-daughter duo. Absolute a Relationship Goals! 

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, foodie adventures, and emotional storytelling, this book is a must-read. The blend of culinary nostalgia and subtle detective work makes it a uniquely satisfying experience. 
3.7

Thank you Netgalley and Mantle from Pan Macmillan Publishing for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting release date: 3 October 2024

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai is a heartwarming and charming novel that invites readers into a magical world of food, memory, and connection. The story revolves around a unique restaurant that serves forgotten dishes—recipes lost to time and tradition, cooked to perfection by the restaurant’s talented chef. As each guest visits, they experience not only the taste of these lost dishes but also the vivid recollections of the people who once cherished them.

Kashiwai's prose is deeply evocative, blending nostalgia with a sense of wonder. The themes of memory, identity, and the passing of time resonate strongly, as the dishes from the past stir emotions and awaken long-forgotten memories in the characters. The novel’s pacing is deliberate, with each chapter serving as a meditative exploration of the food’s connection to culture and personal histories.

One of the most captivating aspects of the book is its exploration of the profound impact food has on our lives, transcending mere nourishment to become a vehicle for emotional healing and rediscovery. Through the stories of the restaurant's patrons, Kashiwai weaves a rich tapestry of human experience, making the novel both a celebration of food and a reflection on the ephemeral nature of life.

Overall, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is a beautifully written, thought-provoking tale that will resonate with readers who appreciate stories about food, memories, and the connections we form through both. Kashiwai’s ability to blend the magical with the emotional makes this book a standout.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I loved the first book so was super excited to read this one. I did prefer the first in the series, but this does still manage to keep the magic of the first.

Would recommend for those who enjoyed the first!

I didn't enjoy this as much as the first in the series. I guess the novelty of the format and concept had passed. A lovely book though, I just wasn't as gripped or enchanted.

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai (translated by Jessie Kirkwood) is a wonderfully introspective sequel to The Kamogawa Food Detectives. Set in a serene Kyoto diner, Chef Nagare and his daughter, Koishi, help patrons recreate dishes tied to their most cherished memories. Through stories by the duo and their restuarant, food becomes a bridge to the past, grounding emotions and offering bittersweet moments of closure.

The vivid descriptions of meals and their connections to love, loss, and healing are the soul of this book. Kyoto’s tranquil setting enhances the atmosphere, with the soft clink of cutlery and hushed conversations creating a perfect escape. While the episodic structure can feel repetitive, it’s part of the charm—ideal for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold or Midnight Diner.

This is a gentle, low-stakes read with neat resolutions, perfect for anyone seeking something soothing and reflective. Though it doesn’t delve into grand culinary journeys, it’s a beautiful meditation on the emotional power of food. A cosy, heartfelt read.

This is such a heartwarming series. I loved the first book so was delighted to see a sequel. Each chapter is about a different customer that the chef/detective father and customer-facing daughter help to replicate a dish from their past. It's delightfully gentle yet there's interest in the stories of each customer. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC.

It's an okay read. Each chapter represents a dish, that I wish was somehow illustrated with drawings instead of just descriptions, although they all do sound amazing. The concept is interesting, although somewhat repetitve after reading book 1. There isn't much backstory and character development for the main cast, but the side characters that "represent" each dish do shine well. I still dislike one of the main characters; they are written as if they are a hateful character with an unkind manner towards the other characters. The author did not write this character with much care, in my opinion.

Tasty dishes.
This is the second book about the food detectives. They are Nagare, ex detective and now chief and owner of a small resturant in Kyoto and his daughter Koishi who runs the detective agency and serves in the resturant. The clients come to find dishes which hold a past memory for them and Nagare tracks them down and recreates them, usually with some insight into people's lives.
The recipes and ingredients are interesting but a lot of them are unknown in this country.
A gentle read with moral lessons.
Thank you Hisashi, NetGalley and PanMcmillan for this ARC

Such a beautiful concept. Nothing against the book I just struggle to get grips with translated books but I will keep trying. honestly love the concept and idea of this story if only this was really a thing

If you read "The Kamogawa food detectives" you already iknow what you are in for - this second volume follows exactly the same format.
I liked the first volume a lot, but I have to say the stories in this second book resonated with me a lot more. Each of the "visitors" had more depth and a more relatable story. As many books of this type, this is what I crave when I need a break and a hug - perfect for this time of the year.

I adore this series but s,adly ,I've had to do a soft dnf for now and come back to the book in the future. I think the writing was very good. Based on what I've read so far I would still recommend this to people I know would love this type of story.

Can't wait to pick this back up when I'm in the mood for it.

A sweet collection of short stories that leaves you both nostalgic and hungry. I enjoyed the majority of the short stories, although some felt a bit too similar (to the first book in the series as well) towards the end. I liked the investigative aspect of it and the detailed descriptions of Japanese food made the book even more memorable.

The Restaurant Of Lost Recipes is the second book in the Kamogawa Food Detectives series by Japanese dentist and author, Hisashi Kashiwai. It is translated from Japanese by award-winning translator, Jesse Kirkwood. Six new clients visit Kyoto’s Kamogawa Diner to request the help of the food detectives.

The format of each story follows the same lines: from a one line ad in Gourmet Monthly (“Kamagawa Diner and Detective Agency: We Find Your Food”) the client searches out the diner, a little surprised at how unimpressive it looks; former police detective, Nagare Kamogawa suggests he serve them a meal while they’re there, something that’s always incredibly delicious; his daughter Koishi , who is in charge of the food detective agency, takes down the information about the recipe they are after, and the story behind it.

The client returns after two weeks to find that Nagare has got it exactly right, and he explains how he tracked it down; the client usually also learns something interesting, surprising and/or moving about the original cook and/or the intended recipient, and perhaps about themselves as well; the client is invited to pay into an account what they feel their service and meals deserve.

Olympic swimmer Kyosuko Kitano wants the Nori Ben his father used to make for him after his parents split up. His father’s gambling addiction broke up the family, and Kyosuko hasn’t seen him for five years. Koishi wonders if her father will be disappointed by such a simple request, but Nagare tells her “The simplest dishes are always the hardest to get right.” The result, and the story behind it, has Kyosuko revising his choice of stroke for his swim, and considering making contact with his father.

At almost forty, and recently widowed, food writer Kana Takeda has never been to Kyoto but wants to reproduce a dish for her six-year-old son, Yusuke, something he lovingly described in his nursery school album, but she has never made. She suspects it was made by his grandfather, but doesn’t see her parents, who operate the Takeda Diner in Hirosaki. All is information that helps Nagare hunt down the recipe and ingredients. Her purpose seems a little underhand, but she gets a surprise, and learns a lesson: “Kids are happy eating anything, as long as they can tell it was made with love.”

Grieving parents Yoshie and Masayuki Sakamoto have come from their traditional Fushimi confectionery shop, Kogando, to find a Christmas Cake that the old lady at Cent Nuits cake shop brought to their son, Kakeru’s wake. Will it bring them closure? Will it help them to decide to whom they will pass on the 128-year-old confectionery tradition? Nagare doesn’t have a lot to go on, but still succeeds, and brings back a wonderful surprise as well. His advice about succession is sage: “What counts is passing on your art, in its every detail, to whoever picks up the baton.”

Top model, Hatsuko Shirusaki knows Koishi from school, but now she’s made a special trip to the Kamogawa Diner: she wants to be able to cook the fried rice her mother used to make for her new fiancé, the best way for him to know the real Hatsuko and understand her humble beginnings. But her mum died when she was ten. Nagare tells her “The tricky ones are always the most rewarding.”


Now the MD of a printing company, Katsuji Onodera was once a student in Kyoto where he spent every afternoon rehearsing with his drama club under a bridge. He believes that if he could once again taste the ramen from the long-gone yatai food stall nearby, he could decide how he feels about his son following an acting career instead of joining his company. Nagare understands: “You appreciate things differently when you’re older, don’t you? Food is never just about flavour. It’s something we feel – and in different ways, depending on where we are in life.”


When her first song was a hit, Keiko Fujikama’s manager took her for a meal at Tenfusa in Asakusa, and the ten-don she ate will always be the taste of success, a success she never repeated. Thirty years on, she wants to taste it just once more before she goes home to her ageing parents in Ishinomaki. When Nagare serves her exactly what she remembers, then a slight variation, he tells her “Nostalgia’s all well and good, but we shouldn’t be afraid to try something new.”


In each story, Drowsy the cat also makes an appearance, and Nagare and Koishi pay respect to Kikuko, Nagare’s late wife. Usually mention is made of their one-line ad in Gourmet Monthly, and sometimes, of the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Akane Daidoji. And even if the reader hasn’t a clue what all the foods are, the gorgeous descriptions of each dish are truly mouth-watering. Moving and wise, this is feel-good fiction at its best.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Pan Macmillan Mantle

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC for this book. I absolutely love the first book in this series and was super excited to be able to read its sequel.

However, despite my excitement, I couldn’t read it before it got published and then I went and bought its physical copy and now I have finished it in three sittings.

The sequence of events in these stories tend to get repetitive and pretty straight-forward. I mean I would love to read a detailed backstory of Nagare and Koishi. We get glimpses but it will be amazing to know about them.

The backstories of the customers in this sequel were truly heart-touching. I love how it is always explained in detail that why the person wants to eat a specific thing and why at that particular time. And despite the fact that it is so cool when they always get the taste just right and according to the wishes of the customers, I think it would be interesting to see when the meal is so complicated or their are just no proper clues or leads and they are not able to remake the thing. What will happen then?

Some of them surely made me tear up. Also, it is always a better idea to keep some snacks with you while reading this book because the elaborate meals are bound to make you hungry.

Lastly, these books are perfect for reading when you are not up-to intense reads or books that want way too much concentration. Reading these feels like a cool breeze while making you experience the warmth and coziness.

When I read this I didn't realise it was part of a series which is maybe why I was disappointed with the ending which seemed so abrupt! I loved the stories and the book however, really beautiful and gentle writing which was both moving and captivating. I will now read the first and wait for the next instalment!

At the Kamogawa restaurant the food is great but the service offered alongside this is unusual. Clients ask the owners to find recipes for food they remember from their past. Often this has huge sentimental meaning and brings back memories both happy and sad.
I hadn't read the first book in the series so came to this cold. It's a very short book, almost like an anthology as there is little plot besides the stories of the food. What I did love was the way that the tales are all about teh people and their relationships. It's a lovely book to while away a cold afternoon.

I really enjoyed this book. It is similar to the first one. The stories it tells are interesting, however it is a bit lost in the sea of Japanese cosy coffee house books at the moment.

This is such a simple yet sweet book and just what I needed to read right now. This is the second in the series but I don't think it would matter if it was read first.
Each chapter is about a person tracking down a meal from their past and their back story.
I've noticed that there are a lot more in the series that I'm hoping will be translated

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai
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.
Tines the the inmoles oring euset cre bino ved
connection to cherished moments from the past.
Among those who seek an appointment is a one-hit wonder pop star, finally ready to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career. She wants to try the tempura that she once ate to celebrate her only successful record.
Another diner is 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.
I absolutely loved this follow up to The Kamogawa Food Detectives that I read last year, in fact I think I liked it even more! I find the stories very emotional, people wanting to recreate a beloved or nostalgic recipe from those in their lives that are no longer with them or have passed away.
If you enjoy the Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series then I think you'll love these too.

This is such a cosy bittersweet Japanese book sequel to The Kamogawa Food Detectives.
Clients come to Kamogawa diner to seek a dish in their precious memory. The daughter and her father who run the diner investigate the dish and recreate it for them.

This is the second book of this series. The food mentioned in this book is mouthwatering and made me crave to eat Japanese food. What I like about this book is it introduces local ingredients and dishes. Japanese have a great food culture and in various districts, there are some famous local foods. It made me want to travel to those places to try their local dish.

This book felt like a gentle breeze. A perfect cosy read.