The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai is a charming follow-up to his first English translation, The Kamogawa Food Detectives. Featuring the same cast of characters at the restaurant/detective agency, each chapter follows a winning formula of introduction to the agency, tasting the food, telling their story, departure and investigation, presentation of the dish and resolution. In this way, the book can almost be read as a short story collection. Although reading a sequel book with such a clear-cut structure doesn't have quite the same novelty as the first book, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes reads like a modern fairytale, bringing healing and resolution to each new character as their food wish is granted. As well as the wish fulfilment and sense of community there is from strangers sharing their stories, the respect and love for food - specifically food memories - is universally soothing. I gave the first book to an aged family member for Christmas, who greatly enjoyed it, and will be giving this sequel to them too. Full of cosy nostalgia and tenderness, Kashiwai delights again.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

'The Restaurant of Lost Recipes' is the second installment of the Kamogawa Food Detectives Series.

I picked up the first one on a whim and it was exactly the type of wholesome read I needed at the time.
I couldn't wait to read the sequel 'The Restaurant of Lost Recipes' and revisit the special little restaurant in Kyoto one more time.

Nagare and Koishi, the father-daughter duo, help the guests at their their restaurants by recreating their favourite meals they've had, and evoking their most poignant memories associated with those meals.
We all experience those moments where certain smells and tastes make us think of a particular person or place, Nagare and Koishi are the experts when it comes to recreating a dish like that.

Each customer has its own chapter, and they're all going through something significant in their lives that makes them seek out the restaurant. Most of them are looking for closure so they can hopefully move on with their lives.
All the stories are moving, and I'd highly recommend this book to readers looking for a quick and cosy read. I must warn you, the descriptions of food will make your mouth water.

'The Restaurant of Lost Recipes' is a sequel, but it can be read as a standalone novel.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love the first book, so I was very happy to receive this ARC. Like the first book, I read this book one chapter per night before sleep in my comfortable bed. This series is just such a perfect coay read to wind down with at the end of a busy day. I enjoyed all stories in this book too, but I think my favourite is the first one abour Noriben. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a Cozi read or fans of before coffee gets cold!

A hug in a book!

Just as warm and cosy as the first, with wonderful descriptions of food and explorations of relationships.

The book is well structured and interesting and lends itself to reading one person’s tale at a time.

just like the first book, the sequel is packed with more heart warming scenes filled with vivid food descriptions that will surely make your mouth water.

a light read with a hint of nostalgia, poignant memories and charming characters.

thank you netgalley & pan macmillan for the free copy!

I read the first book, The Kamogawa Food Detectives, and I was not very convinced and I gave it a new chance with this second part, but I think it is not the style of writing and book that I like.

I'll start by saying that what made me fail to connect with the stories they present to us is how little they tell us, or the little depth that Hisashi Kashiwai presents to us about the characters. The stories, I believe, have to have a certain level of depth and development in terms of the characters so that one can connect and empathize (or not) with them and with those they tell us. I didn't feel that way in any story, neither in the first book nor in this second.

However, I cannot deny the beautiful stories and characters that the author presents to us and that allows us to give ourselves a moment of peace and comforting reading. I think it is a very nice novel that has a lot to tell us and that many people may like it much more than me.

That's why I don't want to stop highlighting all the beautiful things it has. Like the way they tell us the stories of each meal, how they have been created, and how they have managed to reconstruct exactly the same dish that the diner wants.

Thanks Pan Macmillan for the ARC I read on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Kamogawa Diner doesn't just serve meals – it revives lost recipes and rekindles forgotten memories
An episodic novel where people come to Koishe and her father, Nagare the "food detectives" in their tiny Kyoto based restaurant asking them to recreate meals that have meaning in their lives. Perhaps a favourite dish of a lost child or estranged parent. A great concept. They are asked to come back in two weeks and voila the dish has been recreated perfectly. We are given details of each aspect of the dish, the pleasure in eating it and the often-obvious life lesson that the remembered dish gives to the client. This could and should be charming and quirky but just as Sherlock Holmes finds the answer using information that the reader does not have, we like the client, are only taken back to the restaurant after two weeks when the mystery is solved which is unsatisfying. The personalities of Nagare and her father peep through and their relationship with Koishe's dead mother whose shrine is a central part of their lives but I wanted to know more about them, I also wanted to love this book but I found it quite boring and predictable.

Having previously read 'The Kamogawa Food Detectives" I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this second book was even better than the first. The novel retains the same basic structure as the Kyoto father and daughter once again track down special dishes deeply connected with a personal memory for their customers. This time I found the thread of connection across each of the customer/recipe stories to be stronger and the book better for it. It is again beautifully written and wonderfully translated. Special thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a no obligation advance digital review copy.

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives where a father and daughter work together to reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a connection to cherished moments from the past.
This cosy little book is perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and for anyone looking for a heartwarming read. Each chapter tells its only little story and so it is the perfect book to dip in and out of when you don't want to read anything too heavy.

This is the second in the series of the Kamogawa Food Detectives.

I really enjoyed book 1 and was looking forward to this one. I love the premise and the stories behind the dishes that they want to recreate. This time some of the stories were much sadder than book 1 (Christmas cake) but overall it's a hopeful book that will make you think. There's an ongoing, very slow simmering romance between the daughter and the sushi shop owner that I'd love to see more of in another book.

This book has the same issue for me as the last one - outside Japan, I think the meals need more descriptions (even just in foot notes) so we know what's being talked about where the Japanese names are used.

This book has an extra issue in that they include the specific type of teapot/tea cup that they're drinking from (Google tells me that they're from Kyoto) but they don't mean anything to me and took me out of the story to wonder what it was.

Despite those minor flaws, I'm seriously considering buying a print copy so I can re-read it in that format.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good food is not only nourishing but also comforting. Taste and fragrances are something that people remember their entire life. Sometimes we think about a particular place or a person and suddenly realize that our food or smell is strongly connected to this memory. How badly would we want to recreate the missing link?
A father and his daughter, Nagare and Koishi, run a little restaurant and a service called Food Detectives. "Our job is to recreate the dishes that people ask us to find. We don't concern ourselves with what happens afterwards. That's not for us to decide." Their customers are looking for what they lost or forgot. Every customer has its own chapter. Two stories are particularly touching. The first is about a young man who was convinced that his father didn't care about him until Nagare proved otherwise. The second is about a couple looking to recreate their late son's favorite Christmas Cake to achieve peace of mind, closure, and finally move on.
These little stories are like a hot tea in a cold evening. They will warm you up and make you feel looked after.

Another beautiful and delicious installment to this series. This book series really feels like coming home and allowing yourself to get lost in the memories of the past. I enjoyed the shorter nature of these stories and their simplicity. This book is a great one to read when you need a break from the world and the intensity of some books out there. Truly a palette cleanser in book form!

After the first book I was so excited to get this arc of the second.

Kamogawa food detectives is about a father, daughter duo that help people relive lost memories through food and the is the epitome of cozy reads. This book is about people finding closure be it from loss, a falling out with a loved one or just trying to move on from their past to look towards their future.

I would have liked if they did something different from the first book or lengthened the chapters a little bit as each story felt it ended a bit too quickly but I’m saying that, it is such a comfort read that I highly recommend. It’s perfect for fans of the before the coffee gets cold series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

I have not read the first book, though this has not been a disadvantage at all.
This is a cosy, soothing, life-affirming book that has an interesting concept (the restaurant as an agency for recreating lost food) and mood.
Plot 3
Characterisation 3
Prose 3.5
Concept and mood 5
Overall, 3.5 stars rounded up.

ARC Book Review: *The Restaurant of Lost Recipes* by Hisashi Kashiwai**

Rating: 4.5/5🌟

*The Restaurant of Lost Recipes* by Hisashi Kashiwai is a delightful and heartwarming sequel to *The Kamogawa Food Detectives*. Translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, this novel continues to explore the enchanting world of the Kamogawa Diner, where food is not just sustenance but a gateway to cherished memories and lost moments.

Tucked away in a quaint Kyoto backstreet, the Kamogawa Diner is run by a father-daughter duo who have reinvented themselves as "food detectives." Their unique service goes beyond traditional dining as they reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a bridge to the past through the miracle of delicious food.

The narrative beautifully weaves together the stories of various customers who seek the culinary sleuthing skills of the Kamogawa duo. One such customer is a one-hit wonder pop star who has decided to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career. She longs to taste the tempura she once enjoyed to celebrate her only successful record. Another diner is a budding Olympic swimmer who wishes to savor the bento lunch box that his estranged father used to make for him.

Kashiwai’s writing is infused with warmth and sensitivity, capturing the essence of nostalgia and the deep emotional connections people have with food. Each story is a testament to how certain dishes can evoke powerful memories and emotions, making the Kamogawa Diner a place where the past is lovingly revived through taste and aroma.

The father-daughter relationship at the heart of the Kamogawa Diner adds an additional layer of depth to the narrative. Their bond is beautifully portrayed, highlighting the strength of family ties and the shared passion for culinary arts. The diner itself is described with such vivid detail that it feels like a character in its own right, a cozy haven where customers can find solace and a piece of their past.

The translation by Jesse Kirkwood is seamless, preserving the delicate nuances of the original Japanese text while making it accessible to English-speaking readers. The prose is elegant and evocative, drawing readers into the atmospheric world of Kyoto and the intimate setting of the Kamogawa Diner.

*The Restaurant of Lost Recipes* is not just a novel about food; it’s a celebration of memories, family, and the simple joys that can be found in a perfectly prepared meal. It’s a book that will resonate with anyone who has ever been transported back in time by a familiar taste or smell. The stories within are touching, filled with moments of quiet revelation and heartfelt connections.

In summary, *The Restaurant of Lost Recipes* is a beautifully written and deeply moving novel that will appeal to fans of *Before the Coffee Gets Cold* and anyone who loves stories that celebrate the magic of food and the memories it holds. Hisashi Kashiwai has crafted a truly special book that invites readers to savor each page and reflect on their own cherished culinary memories.


A deliciously poignant read, *The Restaurant of Lost Recipes* is a testament to the power of food to connect us to our past and to each other. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys heartfelt stories with a touch of culinary magic.

The second in the series featuring The Food Detectives, the Restaurant of Lost Recipes has all the charm and sweetness of its predecessor.
Once more, Koishi and her father team up to find and recreate the exact recipe their customers/ clients wish to taste again to help them remember something very special from their past.
The Japanese have a strong literary recipe of coffee, cats and cookery with an added dash of nostalgia for their readers, and the author ofThe Restaurant of Lost Recipes Hisashi Kashiwai, is the Michel Roux of this very Japanes genre!
Each chapter of this book is a perfect little story of one client's recipe and what makes it so special to them.
Every story begins in the same way, with an exquisitely cooked.. and described...meal, then moves to Koishi's delicate "interrogation" as she seeks to find out more of the whys and how's surrounding the requested dish., and it's attending memory..
A,simple joy to read, thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an earc of this lovely book

Another wonderful example of the most beautiful translated fiction. Quiet, unassuming, enchanting - highly recommended!

Kashiwai's books are so sweet and gentle. I love reading about the food and how the detectives find the original recipes. Such a soul-soothing collection of books - does not disappoint.

As always, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

The sequel to 🍱The Kamogawa Food Detectives, this story follows a very similar pattern of storytelling- people bringing their favourite food memories, only to be recreated by our favourite chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi.

This collection retains the same cozy vibe, with all these emotions and stories that connect us to all our favourite food and the memories around them. While the narration felt a little monotonous, the stories are quite interesting and will keep you invested.

If you are a fan of Japanese food, or like reading about how food preparation changes from one region to another, this book is extremely rewarding.

Or, if you’re looking for a sweet, breezy read from the world of Japanese Literature, THIS IS FOR YOU!

The second in the Kamogawa Food Detective series, the story brings back Nagare and Koishi, a father & daughter duo, who run a restaurant that doubles as a food detective agency. Here they try to recreate dishes from people's pasts to evoke memories. Each chapter is a different customer, the story split into 2 parts, an introduction to the character and their food memory desire, then their return to taste the food. It's a charming book, very easy to read and the food descriptions are off the charts - warning, you will be salivating! There is also the return of Drowsy the cat, a well cared for stray who lives outside the restaurant. If you're after high end drama I don't think this is for you but this ticks all the boxes for cosy translated fiction fans.

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan and the Book Break team for sending me both a digital and a proof copy, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is out in October.