A beautiful continuation onto the series, a delicate work of kindness. The short chapters continue to make the series work beautifully and the food descriptions are to die for!

The definition of Food Nostalgia is: “the feeling of being transported back to a specific time or place through the taste, smell, texture, sight or sound of a particular food.”

Through the emotional connection that humans have towards certain foods or drinks, the Kamogawa Food Detective team are able to help their customers work through unresolved problems they may have and provide them with advice on what to do next once they’ve left the restaurant.

I read this in one day and enjoyed each individual story that was told and the meals that transported them back to a significant moment. It also had me thinking about certain foods that always make me feel sentimental and how I’d love to recreate them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC copy!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my copy of The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai in exchange for an honest review. It publishes October 8, 2024.
A wonderful follow-up novel, this book has such a comforting rhythm and cadence to it. Although English readers may not necessarily know all the food referred to, I feel like it’s a wealth of exciting food adventures. I know I was always hungry, each time I picked up this book!
I loved the stories in this book, the way that every interaction went. It made me think a lot, and I truly just love the premise of this series.

Really beautiful book!
I love this beautiful story 💞
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of the book

“Food is never just about flavor. It’s something we feel—and in different ways, depending on where we are in life.”

Slice of life vignette stories have become some of my favorite kinds to read over the last few years, and this series is one that I have enjoyed each installment of so far. Taking place in a small restaurant/detectve agency in Kyoto, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes follows Nagare and his daughter Koishi as they meet a variety of patrons trying to track down the food dishes that left an indelible mark on their lives.

Each section contains a different customer’s story, the food item they’re trying to recreate, and the means by which Nagare attempts to make it happen. I often found myself wishing we had a conclusion to these people’s stories, that we’d be privy to how they followed up their journeys to this small Kyoto establishment… but there is something beautiful and realistic about us not knowing. It makes me think of the people we meet in fleeting moments and how they all have their own stories that we may never know, that we might just be a tiny blip in their memory even if they live on in ours (or vice versa).

The food descriptions are vivid, the vibes are comfy cozy, and you’ll likely find yourself hungry for some tasty food as you immerse yourself into this world. You won’t find much in the way of action in this book…but if you like heartwarming, slice of life type stories, you might enjoy this series!

A gentle easy read about Nogare and his daughter Koishi who help 6 different people revisit their past through food. This is the second in a series but it's fine as a standalone because it's not dependent on the events of the first- the customers are new. There's no drama and it meanders a bit but sometimes that's what you need. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Liked the banter between Nogare and Koishi.

I absolutely loved the first book of this series and the second book did not disappoint. It is just as comforting and heartwarming as the first. the idea that food can hold memories, even hidden ones, is something I love so much. Whether it’s a dish someone has eaten once or a dish someone has eaten multiple times, it still holds a sense of nostalgia or reminiscence. I love the writing style especially in terms of food descriptions. I think all the food was so well described that even if you didn’t have a familiarity with Japanese food, you would still be able to imagine what the author is talking about. I’m now craving Japanese food and miss Japan/Kyoto so badly. Such a simple read that still holds a lot of depth. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Heartwarming, cozy, and absolutely wonderful.

I adore this series and hope there will be future books as these are so lovely.



Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the DRC

Summary
When a person is longing to taste something that they remember from their past, but they can’t find just the right recipe, there is a little restaurant in Kyoto where they can go for help. Nagare and Koishi are back for the second round of solving culinary mysteries.

My Thoughts
This book is just what my heart needed. Right from the adorable cover to the sweet stories inside.

I find these stories very calming. There’s a bit of repetition to them. A stranger arrives in Kyoto and is surprised by the appearance of the restaurant and uncertain that they have found the Kamogawa food detectives. They are served an exquisite meal. They go to the back room and tell Koishi their story and the story of the food they seek. They are told to return in 2 weeks, and at the end they ask about paying and are told the meal and the detective services can all be paid at once.

It had me reflecting upon why those elements were always there. Did every customer need to be uncertain about the building and did every customer have to ask about paying and be told the same thing? I ultimately decided those elements are important to the story. Not only do they signal a beginning and end to the story segment, but they also become a part of the ritual and these stories are all very much about the importance of ritual and culture.

The other recurring themes are family, the skilled work of artisans, and, of course, the importance of food to memory and culture and even to emotional healing.

Koishi is not always kind to the customers. There is a bluntness to her that contrasts with her father’s meticulous politeness even in the face of very rude behavior. The two characters balance one another nicely.

Most of the characters in this book were very likable and relatable - except the hamburger lady who was exceptionally unlikable until we learned her story.

My favorite story was the story of the Christmas cake, which actually brought me to tears.

Like in the first book, I feel that there’s a bit of magic at work here. Nagare always knows exactly which meals the person arriving seems to need. He says the people that find him are fated to find him, so perhaps it is fate rather than magic at work. Perhaps they are the same things when interpreted through different cultural lenses.


My thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Restaurant of Lost Recipes is #2 in the series, but the first I've read. It can be read as a standalone. The Kamogawa food detectives consist of a father daughter team. They have specific parts in the detective business. The father, Nagare, does the cooking and detective part while his daughter, Koishi, does the client intake. The relationship is sweet, and their deceased mom/spouse has an alter for remembrance in an adjacent room.

Each part is titled with a dish. The food descriptions are vivid and tantalizing! The dishes are to be recreated to bring back nostalgia from the past and there is always a tricky element to each one. The formula is predictable after the first few dishes, but I was always looking forward to the next customer. When the dish is being served, the type of pottery or ceramics it's served on is mentioned. I looked up each one with Kyo ware being my favorite.

This is a fun cozy read and did I detect a hint to romance in the future? The translator, Jesse Kirkwood did a great job.

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for early access.

I saw this available on Netgalley and had just begun the first book in this series which flew by and I was able to begin this installment. This series is beyond good—it’s one of my favorites I’ve ever read. The reasons are simple: each character has their own story when they come to the shop and each story is beautiful in its own way, the food is bonkers amazing and I wish I was eating each dish with the characters, and the books are short reads! Love everything about this next installment!

5 Stars
Genre - cozy mystery-esque / essay / short story / food writing
Tone - comforting, nostalgic, mouth-watering
Tropes & devices - each chapter is its own related story that follows a little set formula.
Reps - Translated from Japanese
CW - This series so far has been very tame; each story generally has just one sad element and a pretty upbeat tone. In this installment - deceased spouse / parent (previously); divorce, gambling addiction, alcohol consumption, smoking, food descriptions and eating, brief mention of physical abuse from a parent, dealing with the death of a loved one.

This series is hard to talk about without giving too much away; it's a collection of short stories, following a fairly set pattern. But that's what makes it so comforting! Once you've read the first one, there's not much to jar you out of your mental food coma (you will definitely get sleepy like you're eating a bowl of hot rice with some sake on a chilly day). This father-daughter team runs a hidden-away restaurant in Kyoto, where they do a little detective work and recreate your most nostalgic dish. The customer has a meal from the diner (described in detail), tells us about their nostalgic dish (in detail), and then we see them later, eating the dish (in detail) and learning how they recreated the recipe. It's great! I want an illustrated version!! Show me the food so my mouth can water even more. And let the cat inside! (But at least in this one, there's actually a cat at all).

Readalikes - If you like sweet books with food descriptions, try Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame; If you were mad this didn't have enough mystery but like the food descriptions, try Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers; if you thought the whole thing was too happy, and you want your characters more miserable, but still like food descriptions - Land of Milk and Honey.

I received a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a lovely read, very feel good, and light hearted but also profound in a way? I loved all the different characters that we met at the diner. Their stories were all so different, different walks of life and I really liked that so much! The descriptions of all the food were just so detailed and honestly, everything sounded so amazing and I wanted to try it all too right along with the guests!

I definitely will be reading more of Kashiwa's books.

The Kamogawa loves to recreate food that customers wanted to tase one more time for that dish they haven’t try for so long. Nagare will do everything just to find this dish and the ingredients. Every each customer had a sad story for the food they want to recreate. Overall, as always, this book will make you hungry and crave for Japanese food.

Thank you Putnam for my e-ARC.

"We all hold lost recipes in our hearts. A very special restaurant in Kyoto helps find them...

Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner, run by Chef Nagare and his daughter, Koishi. The father-daughter duo have reinvented themselves as "food detectives," offering a service that goes beyond cooking mouth-watering meals. Through their culinary sleuthing, they revive lost recipes and rekindle forgotten memories.

From the Olympic swimmer who misses his estranged father's bento lunchbox to the one-hit-wonder pop star who remembers the tempura she ate to celebrate her only successful record, each customer leaves the diner forever changed - though not always in the ways they expect...

The Kamogawa Diner doesn't just serve meals - it's a door to the past through the miracle of delicious food. A beloved bestseller in Japan, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is a tender and healing novel for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold."

Can I go there? I really mean it. I seriously need to go there. Especially if that adorable cat is present.

Returning to the Kamogawa diner is like settling into your comfort show—you know the familiar rhythm but might still find yourself surprised by the details.

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, likes its precursor, is essentially a collection of distinct stories of food and life told through a common thread—the Kamogawa Food Detectives. The father-daughter duo who run this agency (as well as Drowsy, the shop cat) are like old friends, and I found the stories within this novel to be much deeper and more intense than the first. I think we’re seeing into the minds of the customers and learning more about them in this one.

While I found the lessons of the novel to be a bit more “on the nose”, I got exactly what I came for—calming stories of life and love told through mouth-watering meals with a side of warm tea.

I could read 8 more of these novels, but I would give anything for the next to be a Nagare Kamogawa cookbook.

4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this arc! I’m definitely a fan of the Kamogawa Diner.

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes was a feast for the senses. Kashiwai's descriptions of the dishes were so vivid, I could practically taste them. The story itself is heartwarming, following a young chef's journey to rediscover forgotten culinary treasures. I loved the blend of food, family, and tradition. While the plot was a bit predictable at times, it didn't detract from the overall charm of the book. It's a feel-good read that left me with a craving for both delicious food and a deeper connection to my own heritage.

I was thrilled to dive into The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, the second book in the heartwarming Kamogawa Food Detectives series by Hisashi Kashiwai. As a lover of translated literature, especially Asian works, and a fan of foodie novels, I couldn’t wait to continue this journey after adoring the first book.

Once again, we follow Chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi as they recreate lost recipes at their quiet Kyoto diner. These aren’t just meals; they’re the keys to cherished memories. From a swimmer yearning for his father’s lunchbox to a model longing for the fried rice of her childhood, each dish brings profound emotional transformation—though sometimes in surprising ways. The beautiful connection between food, memory, and community is masterfully woven throughout.

This time, I came prepared! I learned my lesson from book one and made myself some ramen to enjoy while reading, knowing this series would leave me craving Japanese cuisine. I felt warm and fuzzy throughout all the touching moments and the comfort the characters found in their meals, and by the end, I found that same warmth.

This series has become a true comfort read for me. It feels like a cozy, much-needed hug that I can see myself returning to again and again. Though I only have digital copies right now, I can’t wait to add these beautiful books to my physical shelf. If you’re looking for something that will leave your heart full and your stomach growling, this is it!

Tbh i didn't read the title of this book before reading it cause i thought it is still the same as the previous book. But after reading the first chapter, and lookin for the title, now it makes sense. It is still comforting and yet still repetitive. I don't think this book excite me that much cause somehow in the middle of the book, i felt bored. It also did not give me enough information about food to make me drooling. So this book is out of my category of the good book, so sorry. BUT, if you're lookin for something light to read and short chapter included. This is it! give it a try and do not expect too much :)

Anyway, thank you to Putnam's for this ARC!

If you liked the first course served by the Kamogawa Food Detective series, I'll bet you'll find this second just as if not more pleasing to the palette.

It could've been a little more inventive but overall delivers on the same cozy experience of the first installment.