Okay, first of all this is just a great cozy cooking fantasy series, and honestly this second novella might be my favourite! Tao Wong uses a lot of classic fantasy elements and/or tropes (magic, mythology, etc) and lets them coincide in the fictional, nameless restaurant of Mo Meng, where the descriptions of all the different dishes made me a little sad that I couldn’t eat them. With this second installation in the series, I think it was nice to already have the general world established, while still getting new character interactions and more insight into characters like Kelly! The narration is also done by Emily Woo Zeller, who is already one of my favourite narrators, and she does an absolutely fantastic job of immersing the listener into the world! This isn’t the most in depth fantasy world or all that high stakes, but it’s a great way to spend an hour or two and let yourself enjoy the atmosphere of a magical restaurant where the food comes first.

Another very chill, very comfortable fantasy read. If you've ever wondered what something like Legends & Lattes would look like with WAY less plot, this is it. Very slice of life. Lots of deliciously detailed food descriptions. The vibe is "I'm hungry, but too comfortable on this couch to get up". Once again the characters are delightful and the ambience is perfect.

Chaotic Apéritifs is the second Hidden Dishes novella length fantasy cooking story by Tao Wong. Released 1st May 2024, it's 124 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is an entirely setting driven novella which is background and world building for a continuing novella arc/series based in and around a hidden fantasy restaurant in modern day Toronto. The restaurant is the work of one cook (who is more or less immortal) and his waitress, a quirky sarcastic young woman who is currently his only employee. They cook for and serve a plethora of supernatural and mortal customers in the tiny venue.

For foodies who like fantasy, this might fill the bill. There are extensive, admittedly interesting, descriptions of food and cooking. The author *clearly* has done his research and describes the cooking processes minutely and (oddly) fascinatingly.

Reading/listening to the book will probably make readers hungry. Not recommended for late night reading unless one is in a large metropolitan area with 24 hour takeaway eateries conveniently accessible.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 3 hours and 28 minutes and is capably narrated by series narrator Emily Woo Zeller. She has a nuanced, neutral accent, and a young voice. She does a good job with the disparate accents (a dwarf, a giant, humans and others) and long, very involved descriptions of cooking and the resultant dishes produced.

There are a fair number of restaurant based fantasy settings, from Spider Robinson's Callahan series to Travis Baldree's Legends and Lattes, to 2021's buzz book Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune. This one is a *lot* more food intensive and a lot less plot driven than any of those, but it might whet the appetite. It's an indie published story, and according to the author's note in this novella, the eventual arc will contain 3-5 more stories and are intended to be able to be able to be read as standalones in any order..

Four stars. Short and engaging read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Chaotic Aperitifs is the second novella in the Hidden Dishes series. I have not read the first one yet but these books can be read as a standalone but I definitely read the first one too. The novella was quite enjoyable, and one thing is for sure it made me hungry. As for the story, The story is easy to follow, and the narrative is whimsical. The author also includes a bit of world-building outside of the restaurant, which I found interesting and I hope we get to learn more. If you enjoy whimsical stories, I'd definitely recommend giving this series a try. I can't wait to read more of this no name restaurant with a magical chef. Emily Woo Zeller did an excellent job narrating the story. She definitely gives these characters an amazing voice. I'd highly recommend checking out the audiobook version too. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy.

This is a must-read series for people who like to eat. Read this if you want to be hungry or if you’re looking for a quick, calming read or listen in between heavier reads (with the caveat of the brief COVID-ish conversation in book one). Book two brings us back for another night to Mo Meng’s restaurant. This one has a smidge more magic and worldbuilding, and we learn a little bit more about the mysterious Mo Meng, which was all satisfying. Plot-driven readers or those looking for super fleshed out characters: this might not be everything you're looking for, but if it sounds interesting to you I encourage you to take a bite.

Emily Woo Zeller is one of my all-time favorite audiobook narrators, and she did a brilliant job with this series. Breezed through this and its prequel in less than 24 hours, and already cannot wait to return to the next dinner service at the Nameless Restaurant. Much like the first book, the story is set in one space and evening, albeit the clientele has grown significantly since the last time. Once again, important conversations between consequential supernatural beings are taking place while Mo Meng and Kelly try to get the menu of the day out to a wide range of regulars and mundane. I must say, the dishes served in this one weren't as interesting as the first book. While a very notable mage makes an appearance and a stir, and much internal reflection is had by the chef and those in his domain, it didn't quite grip me narratively as consistently as the first book. For once, I wished I could follow some of the diners outside the eatery and see what they're up to, and how meals by Mo Meng impact their existence in the mundane world.

I absolutely adore this series! The Nameless Restaurant is such a brilliant concept and I really love the way it is executed. Each story is a wholly original and imaginative slice of wonder that blends mythology and wit with absolutely delicious - pun fully intended - descriptions and characterizations.

The narration is spot on perfect, capturing the whimsy and cleverness of the text to a T. The books in this series literally cannot come out fast enough for my personal taste, and I was delighted that the next full book in the series was referenced at the end of this one!

Chaotic Apéritifs by Tao Wong and narrated by Emily Woo Zeller is a delightfully whimsical, unique and mellow fantasy that is very different from any I have ever listened to. One of the sweetest notions within is that of cooking by hand and not by magic in a world of the paranormal being the norm

The narration by Emily Woo Zeller suits the storyline perfectly and the gentle cadence is a wonderful accompaniment to what is a lovely story

The narrative is thoughtful, reflective and illustrative. A cozy of comfort and reflection. Beautifully written and almost a meditation which left me utterly blissed. A wonderful audiobook to relax with

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media | Dreamscape Lore, the author Tao Wong and narrator Emily Woo Zeller for this delightful ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own