Final Impressions / First Impressions / Isekai Shokudou

「とん汁/コロッケ」 (Tonjiru/Korokke)
“Pork Soup/Croquettes”

Alexander’s Redemption

It would be interesting to see Lionel meet Alexander again, and initially he seemed like the reason why Artorius visited Nekoya so late. However, in an unpredictable bait and switch, it turned out Artorius was trying to avoid Adelheid. I don’t understand why the sage was trying to prevent Alexander from meeting his great-granddaughter. Does Alexander not know about her? Then again, it’s feasible that he never bothered returning to a kingdom where his beloved had already died. Why return to a place that only holds painful memories? Despite the affection he showed towards Wilhelm, the tomb inscriptions showed that the emperor only acknowledged his mother, suggesting that probably had an absent father. Alexander’s heartfelt grieving at the graveyard really exposed a human side to the half-elf, that we were never able to see before. It definitely helped to raise my estimation of his character, from being an amoral hero who sold Lionel into slavery, to a person who had experienced loss during war.

The Four Legendary Heroes

Upon watching for a second time, I noticed Adelheid was narrating this part. Other than tying in to the fact she is descended from one of them, I just really like her comfy voice. Anyway, you know how I’ve always been saying it would be awesome if Tenshu was descended from an inhabitant of the fantasy world? Jeez Louis Finch… I never actually thought they would do it! If Artorius is to be believed, Tenshu is the grandson of Yomi, the member of the legendary heroes who everyone thought had perished in the final battle. Having endured a cruel destiny, being able to live like an ordinary person was the least she deserved. It’s just too bad Tenshu didn’t inherit anything special from her.

Random Thoughts on Animation and Characters

At times, it seemed like Silver Link struggled with the animation. However, they stuck with stills for the most part to circumvent problems. While this hampered the upper limit of what the series could achieve, it safely kept the series in a consistent spot. For a weekly show of comfy inclinations, this was probably the correct choice from a production perspective. A shame, but understandable.

There’s no question that our extensive cast collectively benefitted as a whole from the episodic format. While the story could have chosen to focus on a select few, building up a cult of regulars did wonders for the restaurant atmosphere. After all, every person has their own story to tell, and having a variety of creatures helped flesh out the fantasy world itself.

Watching the interactions between customers was always quite the treat, especially huge debates. A mere mortal could momentarily become the equal of a powerful sage, in a civilised discourse over their respective meals. Sure, it seemed a bit odd when almost everyone suddenly became food connoisseurs, but it’s not entirely unreasonable for people who have never eaten so good to go over the top. Heck, I remember trying to enthusiastically explain why a ribeye steak I had at some Parisian restaurant was the best I had ever eaten in my life. Let me tell you, I definitely went ham on that one, and wouldn’t doubt for a second that your average Joe could do the same!

Final Impressions

So this is how our series ends, panning away to one of Nekoya’s doors on a grassy field under the blue skies, as it beckons us in. Isekai Shokudou was one of those rare shows that punished me for going in on an empty stomach. Week after week, I looked forwards to seeing new dishes, with the same reactions of joy. It never grew old for me, and what struck me most how food transformed from a means of sustenance, into a shining beacon of hope in dark times. While a good portion of the cast simply met good fortune, and just happened to stumble across Nekoya, many others had the door appear to them at the lowest point in their lives (Aletta, Heinrich, Lionel, Alphone, Kuro). Through his unceasing warmth and hospitality, Tenshu becomes their strength and hope, helping them to cling on in difficult times. Perhaps unimaginable to those of us who are only familiar with a life that has been nothing short of plentiful, but that is the extraordinary power food can have over people.

While wishing for a second season, or even better, a localisation of the novels, it’s not like this will be the end for other worldly diners coming to enjoy our cuisine. An anime adaptation for Isekai Izakaya Nobu is coming soon! And you know what? Even if it won’t be the same, I just can’t wait! But I will greatly miss watching Kuro munching on her chicken curry, and most of all, I will sorely miss Aletta’s cheerful smile.

Zaiden’s Pork Soup

A warm and sumptuous concoction

I stewed one out in about half an hour, and continued to leave it simmering throughout the day, helping myself to bowl after bowl at various intervals. It was incredible to note how the taste improved as the day went on, which is no surprise if you consider that the vegetables and meat had more time to infuse their flavours. Sumptuous, yet so simple. Just like how Sarah Goldman described it!

Final Rating: 6.7/10 – If we’re talking about the final bowl I ate.

Zaiden’s Croquettes

A healthy and hearty breakfast

If you’ve been following my weekly cooking posts, it should come as no secret that I love fried food. For the filling, I boiled some potatoes, mashed them down, then stuck some cooked mince meat in. Flour, Egg Wash, Bread Crumbs, and it’s ready to be fried. This time, the coating was deliciously light and crispy, an effect I achieved by grinding down the panko. The potato mash hit the correct consistency, though I kind of wished that the filling had more mince. But it probably would have become Menchi Katsu, as opposed to being a bona fide croquette.

Final Rating: 5.3/10 – Texture and taste were fine, but I felt the filling could have used some vegetables.

26 Comments

  1. I just love this show to bits.

    And while I understand people’s sentiments that the show is too episodic, or that it’s too shallow in how it explores any of its characters, or that practically nothing happens, or the fact that the food is too simple… I just can’t help but absolutely adore this little isekai iyashikei gem.

    The way it just weaved the story and lore of the other world through the restaurant was great. It had a nice mix of narration, chill exposition, and even some nice show-don’t-tell world building. It’s even good that it doesn’t explain some of the things in the show because the essence of omission is to engage viewers so that they extrapolate and theorize amongst themselves thereby further immersing you into the show’s world.

    But the best part honestly is the fact it used very entry-level yoshoku style cooking. As a casual cook myself and one who’s lived a life where the people around me have bonded through food, some of the themes the episodes have just jive with me on a personal level that makes this show the perfect picker upper to start off my weekdays when it airs on Monday.

    In fact, I could probably watch a hundred more episodes of this. A different fantasy, preferable DnD-inspired, customer and a different simple dish. It could tide me over for how many months or even years but unfortunately this came out in a time where one cour twelve episode LN adaptations are a thing.

    Even if it just means more Kuro god I love that awkward space death dragon so much.

    But yeah. Fantastic show whose only real problems were the fact it had a middling animation budget but hey they did what they could and at the end of the day, the show still looked fine. I’ll miss it and having read Nobu already, I think people who were looking for more focus on the cooking aspect of the food, more focus on the “main” characters, and something less of an otherworldly ephemeral vignette experience will probably like that more.

    These reviews were as much as a treat as the show.

    PS.
    It’s interesting how both the Samurai and the Wizard/Sage Hero never got any episodes dedicated to them and yet it feels like we know so much about the two already.
    Even more interesting is that Isekai Shokudou is at the same time about food and not about food. You could get rid of the restaurant aspect of it and make it some other life-changing/enlightening/soul-healing idea and it would largely remain the same.
    It’s also especially hilarious that we actually never knew Master’s name. They never told us and if I could do a fair guess the LN/WN probably hasn’t revealed it as well.

    Alcohol
    Reply

  2. After Bahamut went all Republican, Isekai Shokudou ended up the only show I stuck with this season. Don’t think I’ve ever gotten hungry watching anime before, though there was that bartending series that got me in the mood to mix drinks once. Anyways, I’m definitely gonna miss this show. Especially Gaganpo!!

    Sol
    Reply

    1. Yeah i also had “Was your Order an Rabbit?!” Vibes.. Well, this Anime is not an Son or Daughter of the “Rabbit”, but it would fit in the same “comfy” section. Slice of Life, where it all happens in an Bar/Restaurant… Social meeting while eating

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

  3. I will miss this show so much, the magical atmosphere, the heartwarming feeling, the soul-healing sensation… “and what struck me most how food transformed from a means of sustenance, into a shining beacon of hope in dark times”; I completely agree with that :3

    I just love everything in this show and I hope for a second season, too.

    Every character was very special and unique and it was very relatable that each customer had a favorite meal. It was also so great that it was included a vegan dish.
    And I loved that the piano was showed a little more, even if it was for a moment, I would have loved that someone would played it at times…

    And I enjoyed these reviews as much as the show itself because no one I know watched it, and I couldn’t talk about it whith anyone. I didn’t comment before since english isn’t my first language and I rather read it an listen to it than writing it for I’m pretty bad at that xD

    I loved Isekai Shokudou so much and I was so happy reading these reviews, thank you for writing them.

    Ezellohar
    Reply

  4. I don’t know if this was clearly stated in the anime, but I liked the little touch where Fried Shrimp starts by calling Tatsugoro by name, then changes to Teriyaki. I think it speaks to the unspoken attitude of the diners to try and ignore their standings/relationships in the other world while in the diner.

    I just think it’s a shame the anime didn’t animate a couple of chapters where there are diners who by all rights would be mortal enemies (like vampires and the head of the Church), yet consciously choose to tolerate each other out of fear of being perma-banned from the restaurant.

    Blue
    Reply

  5. Alexander is Adelheid’s great-grandpa, from what I’m seeing. It’s implying Alexander feels guilt for not being able to be in his son’s life and outliving him.

    Perhaps Artorius was simply trying to prevent an awkward reunion, and the messiness of trying to explain why great-grandpa still looks like he’s in his 20s.

    Yomi herself appears in a later chapter, to give Tenshu the Nekoya’s master key. If destroyed, the weekly portal will gone forever. Yomi intends to be buried by her late husband’s side, and is content with living out her last days on Earth.

    zztop
    Reply

    1. I do not think so, this Door must have an Master. It do not appear that random. Also that would not fit into this theme of bonding inside the restaurant.. Also the Guardian and Magic Supporter of this little gem surly have an eye or more on them 🙂

      Also, Kuro is now the “police” inside the restaurant.. Just for this Day

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

  8. Kuro the Bouncer, lol. Who needs a huge, stoic muscle man when you got a beautiful and cute, human-shaped death dragon who can turn people to ash instantly? XD

    It was also nice to see that while Kuro still uses her telepathy with customers, she talks normally with Tenshu and Aletta, as well as smiles more, which really shows how comfortable she is around them now as well as trusting of them, IMO.

    HalfDemonInuyasha
    Reply

    1. There’s the upcoming Isekai Izakaya Nobu. Premise is about the same as Shokudou, except it takes place at an izakaya (Japanese-style gastropub) and the clients are fantasy world humans only.

      zztop
      Reply

  12. I’m gonna miss this show, between the food, the characters, and their reactions to the food. The setup is an interesting way to view the lives of those in the other world, as we get a snippet of a variety of races and situations. It was nice to see how the customers had unexpected connections to one another, and how both Nekoya’s food and the interactions of customers within it’s walls influenced the other world. Yomi’s presence provides a reason for Nekoya’s supernatural door, and I’m glad she got a nice retirement after saving her world. I hope we get more of this in the future!

    SK
    Reply

  13. I think this is one of my top 5 anime of the season. I just love it so much. Farewell relaxing, delicious days where you never really fail in putting a satisfying smile on my face while giving me a warm heart (and tummy since I can never go through this whole thing without an empty stomach. XD)

    Mayhamer
    Reply

  16. I love reveals that I don’t look for (granted, I was curious how the Nekoya restaurant door appears in different areas of that fantasy world), but manages to tie things together when they do. (With minimal loose ends that can be worked out with a bit of logical speculation.)

    https://randomc.net/image/Isekai%20Shokudou/Isekai%20Shokudou%20-%2012%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
    If Yomi was an unparalleled heroine from the fantasy world who was good at both magic and swordsmanship, I’m assuming that her last attack on the demon lord that finally ended him caused a rift to open between that fantasy world and Earth (flashbacks of Hataraku Maou-sama). And that rift still persists in the form of the Nekoya restaurant door.

    As an addendum, Yomi might have also made a pact with the Red Queen, which may be another reason why the Red Queen is protective of the Nekoya Restaurant (besides the delicious beef stew cooked there). Yomi’s also similar to the Red Queen and Kuro in that she has fought most of her life (Yomi against that Demon Lord and the dragons against that eldritch abomination), and a permanent respite from that old life was the best thing for them.

    Final impressions: Well, if I had a list of anime this season that I was actually looking forward to watch every week from start to end (and it has since become a shorter list), Isekai Shokudou would probably top that list. The show does a good job in establishing characters and the setting in a short amount of time, the show’s pacing is just right, it has a mix of an all-star cast of seiyuu and capable newcomer seiyuu, and of course–visually appetizing food… :-P~ After all, if there’s one thing that can get people of different beliefs/creeds/faiths/nationalities together, it’s the shared love of good food.

    https://randomc.net/image/Isekai%20Shokudou/Isekai%20Shokudou%20-%2012%20-%20Large%2019.jpg
    And finally…I’ll miss Aletta, from her warm, kind personality to her bright smile and those cute little horns of hers… She’ll always be the best girl of the show.

    Incognito
    Reply

  17. So I picked this back up and stuck with it until the end. Despite the sorry attempts at non-Japanese food and the sloppy animation. But even with that, it still felt just like it does after a good meal because somehow it had a satisfactory ending. And did I say that Kuro was cute, too?

    Just seeing the croquettes took me right back to Surugaya Honpo Kamakura Croquettes Kamakuraeki Honten. It’s “just” a croquette stand at Kamakura station, but the potato croquette I had there was so hot and fresh and crispy and soft that it was one of the stand-out meals I had in Japan.

    Angelus
    Reply

  19. It’s over? Man I gonna miss this. Watching the anime somehow makes my cheap take-out meal feel delicious. I literally need to find some food, ANY FOOD to stuff into my mouth while watching this, otherwise my hunger is insatiable!

    SMinstrel
    Reply

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