Western Restaurant Nekoya is a popular eatery located on a street corner in a Tokyo shopping district. Serving both traditional Japanese fare as well as Western dishes, this eating establishment is popular among Tokyo's residents. But this seemingly ordinary restaurant is also popular with another type of clientele...
While the restaurant is thought to be closed on Saturdays, the truth is that on this special day each week, its doors are instead opened to the inhabitants of other worlds. From dragons and elves to fairies and mages, this restaurant has no shortage of strange customers. Nevertheless, the enigmatic chef known only as "Master" will be waiting to serve up their favorite dishes with a kind smile and keep them coming back for many more Saturdays to come.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Stark700
The isekai genre is really becoming a hot new trend of recent years. From RPG game settings to being reborn into a fantasy world, it’s a genre that has attracted a lot of attention. One of the biggest shows from last year, Re:Zero really took that to a darker side. It seems these days, isekai focuses too much on fantasy adventures – the typical story involving survival, battling monsters, or forming guilds. Any fan of open world and MMORPG games knows these formulas as they make up a good deal of the gaming market as well. Then, there’s Isekai Shokudou, a show that takes onthe isekai genre but formulates it into something much more different.
Also known as ‘Restaurant to Another World’, the series combines elements of fantasy, slice of life, and cooking. Coming into this show, I didn’t originally have high expectations. I would ask myself, “what’s so special about a show with cooking?” That was originally my first impression anyway as the first few episodes introduces the setting and characters. Make no mistake, the series’ title is what it is. The main setting takes place at a restaurant known as the “Yoshoku no Nekoya” (Western Cuisine Cat Restaurant). From the outside, it looks rather unremarkable. Still, it’s the inside that may surprise you especially with the delicious dishes it serves. More importantly are the characters that visits and work there.
This anime consists of a very small cast of main characters. It all begins when the owner of the shop discovers Aletta, a demon girl eating discreetly at his restaurant. Having being rejected by the human world, she finds work at Nekoya and serves as a valuable asset. Joining them is Kuro, a strange black-horned elf girl who serves as a waitress to pay off her bills. Although the show consists of a small character cast, the Red Queen is one other distinguishing character to take notice as she has her own personal reasons to visit Nekoya. With a cast this small, it feels like the show is taking a daring risk to craft any story. To be honest, this show doesn’t have much of a plot as each episode is like a story of its own. The main premise is how this special restaurant brings otherworldly customers on Saturdays each week. These characters ranges from elves, fairies, animal men, and even dragons. From my perspective, the show doesn’t really need to rely on a concrete plot as it demonstrates the ability to entertain with its slice of life content. It achieves this with character interactions between the staff and patrons. While these patrons usually possesses otherworldly features, they behave just like normal human beings. It also helps that the show takes time to get us to know these characters. Some episodes gives us insight about their background stories, the world they came from, and even their origins. As a show that relies much more on its characters than story, it gives more reasons for the audience to care about them.
Despite the show being very lighthearted, it still has some light drama such as fantasy discrimination. It’s why Aletta is ostracized from the human world in the first place. In addition, noble characters such as the half-elf Victoria forbids themselves to marry. On the other hand, dragons are (particularly the elder ones) are worshipped like Gods. To say the least, the cultural drama of the show is just enough to make it watchable but not enough to brew up a story.
Now, how can we forget about the food? After all, it’s what the patrons are there for in the first place. Believe me, this series really knows how to craft its dishes. There’s all sorts of food introduced ranging from meat cutlets, fried shrimp, spaghetti, tofu steak, sandwiches, curry, buns, etc. As you can see, the cuisine is diverse and often adapts with each episode’s style. Each episode has new types of characters coming so each it introduces new food on the menu. I’m also surprised by the realistic details of the food as it looks very credible. The coloring, texture, and context overall make the food very convincing. Add the patrons’ reactions and you’ll quickly understand why.
Adapted by Silver Link, the anime has a colorful vibe and solid visual quality with its character designs. The fantasy elements is very evident with the otherworldly characters and their different worlds. By character designs, they reflect on high fantasy traits such as with elf’s ears, demon’s horns, animalistic features of the animal men, etc. It’s very stylistic as the show makes them look convincingly as possible. The restaurant itself doesn’t look very remarkable as it has a very simple design, both inside and outside. There’s minimal fan service in this show as it really relies much more on the food to catch a viewer’s attention. Overall though, I think Silver Link got their point across when decorating the colorful style of the anime.
I can’t say for a fact that the soundtrack of the show will be memorable. It’s mostly lighthearted and hardly noticeable most of the time. What did take my notice is the voice acting especially with Kuro. She’s perhaps the most unique character in the show as she communicates telepathically with others. She also has a stoic personality so stepping into the shoes of such a character is never easy. Thankfully, her role in the show is memorable for those traits thanks to the modern talents of Saori Oonishi.
To be fair, Isekai Shokudou really lacks in storytelling and if you’re seeking a colorful plot, then look elsewhere. Almost every episode feels the same and doesn’t make much attempt to change despite different characters being featured. It’s also a show that can hardly make anyone laugh as its comedy side feels stale. However, I would say this show is recommendable especially if you’re more interested in a slice of life-fantasy anime. Every episode itself has a story and brings together characters to create something worth to talk about. The cooking elements is well-detailed and really offer an interesting side to culinary arts. This is a show that I didn’t regret watching as story isn’t always what matters on the menu.
Pipe
"When a strange door appears in front us, we should enter it with curious expectations, but I bet you, it won't be a restaurant." The restaurant "Youshoku no Nekoya" is known for the different dishes from the menu, but in this case, it is also known by the irregular persons that visit it on the Satur day. A magical door appears every seven days in different fantasy worlds allowing dragons, elf, dwarfs, human heroes and a select diverse group of lucky creatures to vist a restaurant from other world and taste all flavors that can not be found in their lands. Your first impression could be"the story is weak and lacks action." However, the story doesn't need action, fights, war, etc. The story's strength is in the attention to the details of the dishes, the feelings about the dishes, the taste, the flavors, the texture, and the background of the restaurant visitors.
For me, it was nice seeing how the fantastic characters converged on a simple restaurant and they were able to create a small background of each one with some few minor stories or plot lines.
The story has lots of characters, but they are unique and different. We can see some differences between each other. They like different dishes, they look different, and they came from different worlds. The design of each character varies. For example, there is a lion beast, and you could end seeing some drunk dwarf. The only relation that they have is a restaurant door even if they are from the same world. When they enter it, they are prepared for the worst, but they understand that is a place with fantastic food and different clients. It was excellent seeing that if a character goes to other "areas" or another kingdom, it could meet characters from the restaurant. That attention to the details of the writers is the strength of the show, call me silly, but that's how a great story is done.
There isn't a principal character. Perhaps, the human Chef and the two waitresses (demon and dragon) are the most important characters for the story. They received a bit more background than the general characters. They share the same feelings towards the restaurant, the food and they enjoy working there.
The sound mix is good. We aren't going to complain about it. The OP song "One In A Billion," is amazing. You will have that rhythm and lyrics inside your head for some hours.
The art is great. I thought with the constant character changes the art could have a degradation of quality but no. The art and design use a vast color palette, lighting, and differs on the locations. The details of each character even if it appears a couple of minutes was outstanding and focus on the origin of the character. Those details, the combination of few plotlines, and a small story creates a character background. (Hope that the people from TROYCA and Re: Creators learn something from this animation. You can build a character with motion and few plot lines, lesson learned).
Finally, the story could be boring to several spectators seeking action, but this anime isn't for everyone. Also, it isn't bad changing the genre from time to time and relax a bit while you enjoy some different short stories connected with the restaurant. I will recommend this show but with a small advice, do not expect fights, wars, etc. The animation focuses on the dishes and their description, the feeling from each character towards a different flavor and savor.
Timmytimtam
i can't say i'm a big fan of the art style for the characters, terrible late 90's art is more my thing, but the backgrounds are quality and i'm a fan of the character designs. my biggest criticism of the general art is how often the show the women naked, gimme some naked men or don't give me naked people at all ok??? isekai shokudo's cast is, in my opinion, it's biggest strength and biggest weakness. the setup of each episode is: new character eats food, enjoys, becomes a regular, rinse and repeat. i don't feel there's anything wrong with this setup since the characters arevaried enough to mix up the episode while still remaining faithful to the formula. the best episode is episode 6 though because it has the entire cast present at that point interacting.
i could do a food comparison about how this show is comfort food, but it isn't because it's a television show.
i enjoyed watching isekai shokudou, it's formulaic, slow paced, and has far too much fanservice for my liking. the world is well built and very generic but the other world in the title being a nice little restaurant is cute. those are my criticisms of isekai shokudou, it's a nice little show with a varied cast, a great dub, and some very nice direction.
it's a 9/10 in my timtam book and if i had to make a comparison of any kind, i'd compare it to narnia except the wardrobe goes to a restaurant and there are no christian undertones.
PyraXadon
Isekai is a very tiresome genre. Quite honestly with all of the new 'transporting to a new world' adding only one or two arbitrary things in order to make it unique, the concept just appears...lazy. So, now we're gonna transport a restaurant to another world. And...it's actually pretty good. Huh. Story: There are legends of a strange door that appears all over the world on the day of Satur known as "Western Restaurant Nekoya". Within the door lies an establishment that takes in gold and silver coins in exchange for food not seen or known to others. Marvels like curry, parfaits, and natto that people havenever seen before. It is a gift, a strange magical occurrence wrought about by fate. At least that's how I expect someone from the 'other world' to explain whatever's happening.
With the plot point of an oak door inexplicably showing up in random places all over a fantasy world really never being touched on in the series, ever, the plot of Isekai Shokudou focuses primarily on the stories of its patrons as we're shown their dining experience in the restaurant and get a glimpse at what this 'other world' is like. In essence, the entire show is centered around world building with the restaurant being the centerpiece that draws in all of these beings from all walks of life to come and tell their story and reaction to the food.
And that's it. That is literally the entire show in a nutshell. The show's simplistic nature is definitely its one and only strong point because each week brings about something new for the audience to watch due to vast variety of characters that come in through the restaurant's hallowed door. It's a story that could be regarded as boring to some, but ultimately is a relaxed experience that didn't need to be high octane due to how well its formula worked, despite the formula being incredibly stale.
Overview:
+ Simple story
+ Tons of worldbuilding
- Can be boring for some
Characters: The nameless chef simply known as 'Master' is really just a figurehead to the whole thing. Rarely does the show ever focus on him, and when it does, is very little that it's clear that we're only getting a small sample of something that could be developed more. The amount of detail he gets is ok, and it does actually explain the inexplicable door if you infer enough liberties, but selfishly speaking, I would like a little more detail.
Despite that slight problem, the rest of the cast is rich and vibrant with a whole host of fantasy beings eating in a place that has a menu somehow large and diverse enough to satisfy and feed the desires of so many different patrons. (All prepared and cooked by only one guy no less.) While remembering everyone's names is virtually impossible, the one takeaway is the audience coming out of every episode having heard a new story or event involving the restaurant. Each A part and B part of an episode focuses on someone different, thus making the formulaic setup for the show all the more enjoyable because in one episode, you could be seeing a treasure hunter reminisce about her grandfather, and in another, you're watching lizardmen do a ritual. As a result, every episode feels fresh and different, making the viewer coming back wanting seconds to know who's gonna show up in the next episode.
Overview:
+ Very good side cast
+/- Wish the master got more attention
Art: Produced by Silver Link, Isekai Shokudou has a bright and glossy look to it with rich and bright colors to accentuate the entirety of the show's fantasy image. Despite that, movement is rather limited in this show, as the calmer feel of the show seemed to divert all of the budget from animating movement to the quality of the characters and backgrounds. Not to say that's a bad thing, but it's the show itself seems to have an overall lack of character movement because you're basically watching a bunch of people and creatures eat rice omelettes and curry, so anything beyond brisk walks and sitting down is too much to be expected.
Also the food. It is very high quality. It also makes me hungry.
Overview:
+ High quality, clean art
Sound: Both the show's OP and ED compliment the two combined aspects of the show's centerpiece: the fantasy element and the homely element. "One In A Billion" is an energetic, bright piece that evokes the show's fantasy feel and the kind of wonderment that these beings have when they embark on a journey into a strange place they've never been to.
In contrast, "Chiisana Hitotsubu", the show's ED, is a somber piece with a soft piano beat as a sort of cap off to the visual meal that the show presents. It's a satisfying piece that has its merits present with how, like many, the restaurant's regulars have attachments to the foods that they order when they visit.
Overview:
+ Good, satisfying tracks
Personal Enjoyment: Despite this being one of the shortest reviews I've written in recent years because the show is so easy to explain, Isekai Shokudou really isn't something that I can really detail without meticulously picking apart and explaining the twenty four to twenty six individual stories that the show features. It's such a simple yet flexible concept that I can't help but want more. It's relaxing, it's satisfying, it may be formulaic, but it's still good.
What did I like about this anime?
Honestly, the lizardmen one is probably my favorite of the bunch. Iunno, it's just really amusing to see how they created an entirely new ritual for the arrival of the door. Also Lionel's was pretty satisfying too.
What didn't I like about this anime?
I wish Kuro was given the time of day. She shows up so late in the series and really doesn't make as much of an impact as her coworker does. (Granted Aletta did have more time.) I just wish we got more with her because she was too amusing to not have more of. Also a number of the later stories aren't as well written as some of the earlier ones. Also I wish the show gave us at least one scene with all of the regulars showing up at once and rambunctiously associating with one another. Cause the restaurant always looks so empty with the show having only the featured character story be the only patron in the restaurant at one time.
Would I recommend this anime?
If you want something healing, Isekai Shokudou is a great fit. Again, the show is very formulaic. Week after week it's the same thing. But every story is different and there's a sense of progression as more and more regulars enter the establishment and start sitting among the new arrivals. It's the kind of storyline leaving you hungry for more with each new episode that really makes the show interesting and fun to watch.
CrimsonWanderer
Isekai Shokudou is a special anime, is not an anime you would expect to have an epic story or something like that. It is just relaxing, like any other Slice of Life should be... Well, it doesn't exactly have the tag of Slice of Life, but pretty much feels like its meant to be taken as such. So if you are here expecting an epic story or a really meaningful anime, you will only get dissapointed. Now, if what you want is something different than your usual Harem, Ecchi, Generic Anime, or something not as lewd as Shokugeki no Souma, this anime will bea good ride for you. It still has some sort of fanservice, but not as invasive as other shows.
TL;DR Overall Section
Don't expect much from the story, the only thing you need to know is that there is a door that leads to a restaurant, a door that connects other worlds and that only opens once each 7 days (in the day of "Satur"). But, even if there isn't much of a story, the world building of this anime is pretty exquisite, each episode you will get to know about the different races that lives on the other world, featuring Sirens, Beastmans, Princesses, Elves, Dragons, Mermaids, Lizardmans, or just any other kind of adventurer that finds the door. Its like the kind of "rest area" you will find when you play an RPG game, its serves no purpose over the story but to let you rest and buy things for your journey (in this case food) overall, due to the lack of a significant plot, the story goes by 5/10
The strongest point of the art on an anime like this, are the dishes, how tasty they look, how appealing they look, and the impact it does when a customer eats it. But not only that, as for the world building, there are some places on the other world that are pretty beautiful for the eye to look at (this is were the "relaxing" part comes into play) so meanwhile you hear a fitting soundtrack and beautiful landscapes, you will probably find yourself eating something (I admit, this show can make someone hungry lol) while hearing how the characters are reacting to the occasion. What gives me more curiosity is the moon of the other world, which its quite shattered and looks like something bad happened there. Overall the art goes by 8/10
Both OP and ED are okay overall. I like the voice acting in general, I didn't find myself hating a character over its Seiyuu or any other kind of annoying sound, the soundtrack does a decent job portraying the landscapes that we get to see when we are exploring into the character's past that comes from the other world. I find myself at ease when hearing to the OST of this anime, so the Sound department goes by 7/10
There aren't that much of significant character development, the characters are there and serves for world building while they are being introduced to the restaurant. Maybe the most mysterious character is this "Wilhelm" which is the one that founded the restaurant. Aside of that, Aletta and Kuro are very likable characters. Aletta is a low-tier demon that always wanted to be useful on whatever she finds for a job, sadly, demons aren't that well received on the other world, but thanks to this restaurant, she finds more confidence for herself and starts having a good time on the other world. As for Kuro, she is one of the dragons that lives on the other world, she is introduced a bit late in the show, but she is still an important character, she's commanded by the red dragon to protect the restaurant from bad people. She's very skilled in a certain amount of areas, like speaking to the mind of the customers or having strong resistance to curses, so she pretty much is a good addition to the restaurant, since she can do both, protect the restaurant, and customer service. Overall for the characters, 7/10 might be good
So again, if you are into this slice of life kind of anime, you will surely enjoy this anime for what it has to offer, there isn't much, but quite enough. As enjoyment value, a 8/10 will do the job for those that looks for something different rather than the usual you can get to see on a season
Overall 7/10: Relaxing, nice world building, gorgeous landscapes and food, and a nice character cast.
Fircoal
Do you like short stories that don't have much of a point but may serve as a nice lighthearted vignette? Do you like watching people gush loudly about how much they enjoy the various types of food that they are eating? Well if so Restaurant To Another World might be for you! If you don't it most certainly won't be. While Restaurant To Another World has a nice atmosphere and does well to protray a comfy setting, it's only purpose are the two things I mentioned: short meaningless vignettes that can sometimes be heartwarming, and watching people gush over the food that they love eating somuch. While it does those two acceptably, there really isn't much else to this story. None of the main characters are developed. They have an episode half or two that gives them a little bit of character but for the most part they are ultimately unimportant. Just people that you get to know as you get to see the various walks of life that frequent the restaurant.
The various walks of life aren't very fleshed out either. While we are introduced to important bits of their character for that segment, this does very little but give a general sense of who this character is. In many cases, this character could be one of many others that would be able to fit into the role. Ultimately their personality doesn't matter and isn't explored. They are rather a tool to dig into what one type of typical fantasy character might enjoy at this restaurant. And due to a decent amount of the episode being decidated to their love and eating of the food in question, this limits even more the characterization that the characters get. While there are a couple who get developed to an amount that at least makes them a character, most of them are not.
The stories usually aren't that much to write home about either. Most of them follow the same ordering. First a problem or a character point or some sort of starting idea will be introduced. Then that character will find the door or will think about when they found the door. Then they'll visit the restaurant and proceed to gush over the food that they chose to order. If it's their first time they'll express disbelief about how for some reason this restaurant shouldn't be able to do the meal they want well before turning into putty when they experience the true power of the food that they soon devour down. And then they order seconds, thirds, and as many helpings as they possibly can. While this can get very boring and predictable, I will note that there are times where the show is able to use its formula well and tell an interesting or heartwarming tale. Although some of its better tales are when it ditches the formula and decides to go more freeform, espeically when it involves the main cast. The episodes surrounding the demon girl in particular were able to carve a nice simple heartwarming story. The type of story I had hoped and expected to see more of from the show.
Restaurant To Another World also can have the bad habit of trying to gimmick up some of its shorts in order to cover up it's formula some. However this only makes it worse as the while the formula isn't too annoying the gimmicks almost always are. There is one part in which it tries to present itself like a documentry. While it's a novel idea it ultimately fails to bring enjoyment because documentaries are best for when someone craves knowledge in a subject matter. It's hard to crave knowledge into a fictional subject matter that as a viewer I didn't even know about until that episode started. With no curiousity being built, there isn't any pay off.
The art and sound are both fine. They're both good for the atmosphere that the show is trying to envoke and thusly I think that ultimately they work. Although the OP is very out of place. Personally I'm actually quite fond of the sound cue that they use each time someone comes across the door. It's unique and it makes a sort of recurring sound that adds to the comfiness of the work. I tend to like traits that are allowed to be reused and be familiarized to the audience. It's like a little special trait to itself, and that's pretty cool!
Overall I feel one's enjoyment of this show is really going to depend on the answer to those first two questions. If you want to watch people love and nom on food, or if you like short comfy but meaningless stories you'll probably enjoy this despite it not having the best characters or story. But if you don't like that or don't really care for it, it'll seem tedious and repeative, as that's really the meat of what it has to offer. Personally I'm not the biggest fan of either. While I can enjoy meaningless short stories if they resonate, they rarely did for me. While I certainly understand there is an audience for this I am firmly not that audience as the flaws outweighted the strengths of the show for me. As a potential viewer you'll have to make the decision yourself. Do you think short comfy vignettes and food love can outweight it's lack of character or story depth? If so give a try. If not you're probably better off looking for another show.
kytties
imagine food wars, just wholesome and non-sexual. if you're into chill animes without much action then this would be perfect, it's very easy to binge and it also keeps you entertained without feeling repulsive or boring after a while. this probably won't be your cup of tea if you prefer action packed, fighting animes but honestly its worth giving a shot. the food shown looks delicious and maybe you'd even learn a thing or two about dishes by watching it. the character designs were pretty cute, so were their personalities. they had the right amount of wholesome-ness, and it kind of showed racism (but with species)and overcoming being ashamed of who you are. aletta was a good example, being looked down upon for being a demon but being able to be in a safe space where it doesnt matter and eventually kind of accepting and liking who she is. theres also the fact that half-elves are ostracized, and victoria aka the half elf showed people that half elves arent as bad as people make them out to be.
the storyline was honestly really unique. i've completed over 100 animes and i havent seen anything quite like it, but in a good way.
final thoughts:
some people would like this while others wouldnt. if you prefer more action packed animes then this probably wouldn't be for you, but it's worth giving a shot for the yummy food and cute character designs anyways.
Werty800
Everyone wants to get the most out of their moment. In an attempt to create new opportunities for their pursuit of bliss, humans seek out numerous things in order to avoid duties. After all, effort leads to fatigue, which is nothing else than a detriment for one's enjoyment, right? In Restaurant to Another World the viewer follows beings from a typical fantastical setting. It's a world where dangerous foes, social inequalities, and incurable diseases are issues its inhabitants face on a daily basis. Weeks pass, but their demanding lives don't get easier. Be that a life of a gladiator, squaring off against countless enemies to earnhis freedom, a sole survivor, enduring a solitary existence on a parlous island, or a stray demon, cast away by the society due to her origin, their lifestyles are far from ideal.
Regardless of this, they can still find pleasure and comfort in their challenging, yet steady lives. All thanks to Nekoya: a magical eatery, whose doors appear throughout their universe only once a week, on the day of Satur.
Nekoya by human standards, does not deviate from the norm. Simple dishes are served in simple ways; it's a typical western restaurant on the outskirts. The otherworldly creatures, however, perceive each course as a heavenly gift. Curry, ice cream, fried fish, steamed potatoes and many others provide intense experiences incomparable to any other. A meal—consumed countless of times before—brings forth a sense of joy and satisfaction on their rigid faces. An entire week's severe workload gone in a matter of minutes. Not much can compare to such gratification.
The cook himself, however, sees the restaurant's menu as being anything but exceptional, understanding that despite the feelings it leaves in its patrons, its crudity can be noticed by anyone familiar with the real-life cuisine. Similarly, binge-watching Restaurant to Another World can lead to feeling blasé. The lack of intrigue, absorbing characters, worthwhile art or music leaves it with only its noncomplex emotional resonance, which relies purely on avoiding the aforementioned feeling. The show puts a high emphasis on the fact that, just like the food served at Nekoya, its simplicity is supposed to be enjoyed seldom, allowing for its message to persist longer, as well as give the person receiving it time to utilize it.
Despite that effort, it still can't avoid the results of its bare-bones presentation. The always present redundancy will inevitably cause the viewer to grow bored, defeating the purpose entirely. Unfortunately, following the most popular anime format, it opted out for twelve episodes, rather than a one-shot OVA or a shorter season. The lengthiness damaged what could have been an uplifting and memorable story, turning it into a forgettable piece of animation.
As such, although the show's messages are genuinely worth experiencing, it is hard to recommend—finishing it will grow gradually more tedious, which can suppress everything it's trying to convey. It knows about this, but doesn't attempt to create a captivating experience, instead settling on a monotonous repeat of everything that it already said. The strength its idea possesses is far from enough to carry a twelve episode show on its own.
So ultimately, what you really need to know is that you should enjoy your morning sandwiches more, faggots.
kai_2_tatsuya
This anime is a secret gem and if you find it by yourself, considered it as an invitation to one of the greatest show this year. Forget the "isekai" genre for a second. This is by far one of the most underrated anime this year and I'm gonna tell you guys why you should watch it. Firstly, It has a similar vibe to another show this year called "Demi-chan wa Kataritai" and if you love that show, you're going to love this. The story is nothing special and that is a good thing, just because it's an "isekai" genre, that does not mean it should beover the top, a death-defying adventure that we all have seen it all over and over again. It doesn't need it.
The character is so simple, it makes you wanna know more about this world.
Every week is a treat me, we're not only getting new food but new people too. A new character, new background story and every single one of them is interesting on its own.
The opening song is nothing special, just a generic song we all have seen it in other types of anime BUT the ending song was a masterpiece. I immediately in awe when I first listen to it, definitely an ending you don't want to miss.
Plus, the background instrument is so soothing and relaxing.
Overall, it's a good show, super fun to watch it alone or with a company and I highly recommend it to anyone, I mean anyone who still hasn't watch it yet.
Look, I'm not a good writer or reviewer, I have watch Anime for more than 20 years and when a really good show comes, I just hope more people would give it a chance.
Almost forgot, always eat first before watching the show and enjoy.
EnZanity
Spoiler Free Review Everyone loves food, it's something we can't survive without. Instead of being a necessary chore that keeps us alive, it's an opportunity for innovation as many chefs around the world are experimenting with ingredients, trying to create the next great dish. Food is made to be eaten and enjoyed, and these culinary artists are the ones allowing us to take joy in our food. Now, Isekai Shokudou is not a show about creating new recipes. All the food showcased in this show are stuff we've seen or heard of before. You won't be seeing much deviation from these dishes, but that isn't technicallya bad thing. Isekai Shokudou focuses more on enjoying food than making it, adding an extra spin to the show by having all the customers as people that come from a fantasy world.
The restaurant Youshoku no Nekoya has a mysterious magical door that appears during every Day of the Satur. The door shows up in a variety of different locations in a world separate from ours, allowing a variety of races and beings to visit the Nekoya and order anything from its menu. From lizardmen to dragons and back to normal humans, Isekai Shokudou is separated into 2 arcs every episode, showcasing a different story and set of characters, new or old, for each arc. Now there are problems that arise with this type of formula, but as the show progresses it manages to sort out these issues in a matter of episodes. The mystery of how Tenshu is able to continue running a thriving restaurant when he gets paid with a currency from another world is answered quite simply, the main characters that were simply there to make and serve food get a bit more exploration to allow us to see them as actual characters, and the lack of interaction between customers is fixed with the way they interweave different character stories together and the conversations between certain characters inside the restaurant.
With all the other problems are dealt with, the only two remaining are the difference in enjoyment and interest between character stories, and the lack of screen time some characters get. Most of the time, the stories told in Isekai Shokudou are simple but engaging enough to be entertaining, but there is the occasional time where a story just doesn't quite hit the mark and you get a little bored with the show at certain times. The number of characters the show introduced is quite a lot, and while there are ones that we get a better look into, there are also the few that appear once and are never really touched on again, leaving some customers to feel like just another mouth to feed instead of an actual person with their own lives.
Looking at the actual eating scenes, it's a lot of the same you see in other anime. A character takes bite after bite of their food as they monologue over how good it tastes and the amazing chemistry between the ingredients. The art style is pretty simple, as a lot of time is spent on making the dishes look good. Each recipe served looks fantastic and sparkles with deliciousness, providing pure eye candy to lovers of food porn. A food anime's job is to make you hungry and long for great tasting food, and this show fits the criteria pretty well. Now, this is not something everyone will enjoy. Some want action and drama from their anime, while others prefer a relaxing and soothing feeling as they watch shows. It depends on what type of anime fan you are that decides whether this is the type of show for you.
Isekai Shokudou is a relaxing experience that doesn't rely on any exciting plot to make you enjoy what it has to offer. However the show does try to take on too many characters at a time, and that plays into the occasional quality drop the show has. However, it's still a perfectly enjoyable experience with very likeable characters, so for the people that would enjoy this type of anime, it's a show worth digging your teeth into.
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Alca
Isekai Shokudou was so much better than I expected. At first it does not look really appealing, however I enjoyed it a lot. This anime is perfect for those who want a relaxing time to just enjoy a new world where each episode is filled with new characters to get to know better. Story: 9/10. The story is about a restaurant known as the "Restaurant to Another World". A normal restaurant on earth that is connected to another world via a door. This door appears on the day of Satur: aka on Saturday. The door appears in random locations to the other world where people fromthe other world come to enjoy the food from earth. Each new episode we get to meet different races and people, and we get to know about the story of these people. For each new episode we get to know more about the other world and more about the people that live in it.
Art: 8/10.
The art is a classic anime style with some great details to the food and characters. It is not by the art that people are drawn into this anime, so we don't expect it to be astonishing. But still well done!
Sound: 9/10.
The intro music is quite good and it makes me feel more relaxed compared to a more aggresive music. Since this anime is not a action anime I think the music is a perfect fit. The sound is very well done and you can't really complaine about it. The voice actors are really good and have a lot of experience.
Characters: 9/10.
First off we have Tenshu the chef. He is a middel aged man who have seen all types of races from the other world and won't be suprised by any of them. He loves to make food so that others can enjoy it, and that is why he works as a chef. We also have Aletta. She is from the devil race but was cased out because of her small hornes and poor magic powers. She then started working in the restaurant after being homeless for a while. She is a nice character that no one can dislike. The thing that makes me love the characters in this anime is that they put so much focus on letting us know them. Each episode we are introduced to another character from the other world, but we also get to know the previous characters more. And that creates a bond between the characters and the viewers.
Enjoyment: 10/10.
As for how much I enjoyed the anime I must say I really loved it. I watched all 12 episodes in one go because I couldn't get enough. The thing that really made me want to watch more was the fact that I wanted to know more about both the characters and the other world. And the fact that each episode a new character made their way into the restaurant really made me enjoy it. A fully fantasy anime without action, is something that is nice to watch every once in a while.
Overall: 9/10.
This anime is definitly something that I recommend after watching a action anime. It was so nice to go from a fully action anime to a fully fantasy anime. I think this anime is underrated and I hope more people soon realise that sometimes a calm anime is fine and relaxing.
RoninVV
Review #8: Restaurant to Another World Story 7/10 -- Isekai Shokudou established a soothing SOL/Fantasy presence. In the recent increase of Isekai projects, this anime series took a different approach to most animes that have shared the genre the past couple years. This is a solid SOL cooking anime that involves a mysterious door in the world of fantasy. The fantasy world learns the value of our own worlds cooking, and people from all classes and races enter this restaurant in a place of peace. There are several problems in the fantasy world, ranging from poverty to classism. Although rather then having the main characters becomeheroes, they instead stay in the environment of the kitchen, believing that a meal is important to soothe the souls that the door allows to wander in. Issues with this animes story are the lack of development, and lack of details such as the doors origin, balance between having monsters and humans in the restaurant on different days, and the lack of a storyline problem that usually attracts isekai viewers.
Art 8/10 -- The artwork was exceptional, the food quality looked very delicious, and the character design had fine detail compared to the normal cardboard look. The restaurant wasn't anything fancy, but I think its simple interior flowed well with the customers. The kitchen seemed a bit too clean though. The fantasy world was made pretty well. The ruins, art design, scenery, city life, and character detail were very good.
Sound 7/10 -- Soundtrack was average, OP/ED mid tier among last years new adapted shows. The acting and dialogue were good, I thought the cook and staff were professional, but also had some character inside the shop. The different lives of the fantasy characters had good stories and encounters.
Character 8/10 -- Isekai animes typically have a lot of supporting characters, and usually several main ones as well. This is one of the few animes you will see where the supporting cast has a larger foundation and importance than the main characters. What Silver Link did well in this series was build an entire world, from multiple kingdoms/locations and connect them all to contrast in this weekly visited restaurant. There was a variety of characters with good stories. Beastmen, elves, humans, nobles, wizards/samurais, the entire variety blended well since they all shared the same passion of this new form of food. Kuro's time is kind of short, but Tenshu and Aletta each have their own story that is revealed and revisited when they meet old and new familiar faces. The simplicity of the main characters, mixed with a heavily contrasted supporting cast made the character development unique, and very positive for a higher score then other animes of the genre.
Enjoyment 8/10 -- What MAL missed on the genre tag was SOL, and that plays a heavy part in this show. There are multiple cultures, and ways of living, and having an interest in cooking myself, I enjoyed the happiness characters had when they ate at the restaurant. The comedy in this series is subtle, but I found the interactions between characters amusing, as well as the owner keeping tabs on customers, with gold coins and other relics lying in a treasure chest he uses as a register. There really isn't much of a mystery in this series, and I would of liked to know more about the secrets of the restaurant. It's still a very good series to watch, especially if you are looking for unique animes in the Isekai genre.
Overall 8/10 -- What makes this anime very good, is its difference from others in the same genre. The calming atmosphere inside the restaurant, blended with a brilliant fantasy world, make an excellent new recipe that can suit users tastes. Not all fantasy animes need a war, or a sword wielding hero to be interesting. Sometimes its the simple parts of our lives, like eating a delicious meal, that can make a very underrated but pleasant anime series. Isekai Shokudou doesn't have action, it's a Slice of Life series designed to be different, and Silver Link does a great job building memories and bonds when recently the genre has been overused slaying monsters or a demon king.
~Castawayz
BriefEd
How much do you love watching a hungry person shine with bliss as they enjoy an outstanding meal? Your answer is probably also how much you'll enjoy Isekai Shokudou. Most of the time when a story goes far off the tried and true paths of the countless already told it ends up tangled and stumbling but this is a wonderful exception. Seems odd how all it centers around is showing a glimpse of some human, elf, dwarf or other being and their struggles and joys in another world and culminates in their finding of a mysterious door that takes them to a fine but affordable littlerestaurant in our world where they can forget about their troubles for a while and have the most enjoyable meals of their lives.
At first it just seems like a random bunch of customers but as their numbers increase so do their occasional little connections with each other. Giving a single side character the spotlight for much of a whole episode is something very few animes manage to do well but here they can grow on you amazingly fast and become a beloved part of the background in just 15 minutes. While the glimpses of the other world are spread too far and wide to overlap very often it still feels like they belong in the same world and it is beautiful, I found myself glued to the screen with far more enthusiasm than I had expected.
There are occasional factual and continuity errors that could be annoying for really observant viewers, fortunately the mistakes are small enough that even if noticed they're reasonably easy to forgive. Lastly the voice acting and sound in general are terrific, which is probably an important part of why everything connects so well.
Ellenwitch
While it may not seem like much as you start watching, it's actually quite a relaxing anime to watch. Though I will admit, after a couple of episodes in, it did make me get invested in the characters in general, which made me just to want to watch it more. It also gave me the want to watch more animes where the main plot is about or somewhat about food in general. I'd love to watch more food animes, and it's all because of this. Not to mention the food as always looks stunning, and the opening is just lovely. Lovely as in I would more thanlikely listen to it over and over again. A great tune.
Would recommend.
Yon_Nyan
Out of all of the serials I watched this season, Restaurant to Another World would have to be one of my favourites. It was feel-good and dangerously hunger-inducing. In the corner of a local shopping district lies a Western-style restaurant called Yōshuku no Nekoya (Western Cuisine Cat Restaurant). During its business hours, Monday through Friday, it serves normal food to normal folks. The restaurant is normally closed on weekends and holidays. However, on Saturdays it secretly opens its doors to very unique and unusual clientele from some very unique and unusual locales. The most disappointing part of this entire series was the severe lack of kitty cats.The restaurant’s name has the word “cat” in it. The least they could have given me was a little feline mascot!
I just had to get that off of my chest. Aside from that, it was such a fun and delectable series. It’s set up in an anecdotal means with episodes that don’t connect plot-wise. The story itself is simple and straightforward: it’s about a fancy restaurant that caters to diverse, fantastical races from varying planets, and the different ways that these folks come across the Nekoya.
Aside from the delicious and breathtaking dishes that are served at this restaurant, my favourite part of the show consisted of the characters. Even with it being episodic in nature, the anime does a phenomenal job of being character rich and exhibiting stories that share motifs of strength, overcoming grief, loneliness, and insecurities, just to name a few. The experiences that so many of the clientele undergo vary from light-hearted to tender to deeply emotional. There’s an underlying warmth in the hardships they all over-came during their lives that I found to be very comforting and inspirational. Their trials and tribulations are reflected in the foods that they come to love dearly.
For example, we have a lion who was beaten and taken into captivity as a slave where he was forced to fight for his freedom. His favourite dish is katsudon. It’s a dish with lightly fried meat, usually pork, over rice with eggs. The dish helps rejuvenate him and helps him to gain his strength. Thus providing him an advantage, which he uses to obtain his freedom much faster than anyone believed possible. His story also provides a lesson in not judging someone by their appearances as monsters can be hidden within even the most genuine looking folks.
There is another story that revolves around a young girl who used to visit the restaurant with her grandfather where they’d eat parfaits. After he passes away, she falls into depression and her physical health begins to suffer. She’s a very lonely young woman. One day after coming across the magical door, she’s taken to Nekoya. The memories associated with the restaurant help inspire her to get healthier. She begins smiling and laughing a lot more, and the overall quality of her life improves drastically. That was one of the episodes that resonated the most with me.
So, the stories in each episode truly make the series worth watching. It’s an all-around feel-good, heart-warming anime. If that’s not enough to peak your interest maybe the animation will be. It’s beautiful, especially where the food is concerned. Every single dish they showed, even if it was something that I’m allergic to or cannot eat like pork, made my mouth water. I made the mistake of watching this on an empty stomach one evening. My tummy roared louder than my cat! However, when I watched it after having dinner with a full belly, I still found myself desperately hungry for whatever was being shared in the episode.
I think my biggest complaint, aside from there being no kitty cats, is the mystery behind Nekoya. How did it come to exist in a way that allows it to reach different dimensions, as well as different planets? What is the secret behind this unique capability? A part of me wishes it was discussed in the serial, but another part of me really appreciates the enigma. In a way, it adds to the charm.
It may be not super spectacular, but it’s a decent show that is worth watching, especially if you’re in the market for something that is uncomplicated, savory, and compassionate.
7.5 sandwiches outta 10!
johnbradshaw
In a genre that is exploited to every last drop, "Creativity" is a word I would never associate with any Isekai show to a point that it sounds awfully oxymoronic. But even so, once in awhile, there will be an anime that defiles the odds. And I believe the 2017 summer little gem Isekai Shokudou is one of those anime that creatively blends isekai elements to its merit. One special day a week, every races in all kind of world will have a chance to enter Nekoya, a special restaurant run by a masterful chef. There they can all enjoy a good evening with wonderful foodsthat they never have a chance to eat. And thus, that is the story we, the viewers, will follow.
With a story like that, Isekai Shokudou is definitely a character-driven show. While its main cast is small, which consists of the master chef, a homeless elf waitress and also another waitress in disguise of a powerful black dragon, the supporting cast is quite large and absolutely amazing. To me, they play a part as big as the main ones which leads to the selling point of this show, its wonderful interaction between every characters.
What separates the characters of this show from the usual tropes we've seen in countless anime is they're given proper personalities with proper back story to solidify it and as a result, they have proper and natural characterization. Plus, their interaction with each other is funny and interesting.
As expected from a modern anime, the color tone of this show is bright, adding to the cheerfulness nature of the anime. But the characters designs are quite standard. The soundtrack of this anime is also forgettable imo and only one or two tracks sounds really good.
Wrapping up, it's a good show to kill time and If you have 4 hours to spare, I would recommend Restaurant from another world.
BlackCicero
After reading the synopsis for Isekai Shokudou, I expected to end up not liking it at all but that's not the case now that I've completed it. If you're looking for a new Slice of Life anime to watch then this would have most of the things you would expect from the genre. There is little to no story progression here but the way the story is presented, with each customer often getting there own little spotlight when they are introduced, makes the story a little more intriguing than your usual Slice of Life anime. Speaking of characters, I think one of the main sellingpoints of the series is the characters. Learning about their quirks, backstory or even just what they were doing on the day prior to reaching to the restaurant is entertaining to see from week to week. Another strong selling point for Isekai Shokudou is how great the art is, in particular how great the food looks. I almost always make sure I have something in front of me to eat when I settle in to watch an episode. I then subsequently want to shed tears of disappointment when whatever I'm eating at the time isn't at the level of what Tenshu prepared that episode.
Isekai Shokudou is a relaxing anime you can end off your day with and is one I can recommend.
MetalTsundere
Isekai is a really trending genre, but at the same time it's becoming a triesome genre, so introducing this anime. There's nothing much to say in this anime other than it's a restaurant who appears on another world where the customers are knights orcs fairies etc. there's nothing much into it other than that and it's getting repetitive, but the fun factor here in this anime is how the customers would do to go to the restaurant. Some will hold a tournament some will find it at random, some will be suspicious, but once they tasted the food their reactions are fun to watch. However that's theonly good point of the story, the rest are just foregttable, even the main characters like Aletta and Kuro the demon girls and the manager, we never get to know any of them and if we do they don't matter on the story and neither did the customers I mean at least there's 1 customer that we can get invested at right? wrong!!.
nonetheless I still did enjoy the anime.
the art is good but for an isekai anime it's pretty generic, and the same goes with the sound.
I don't recommend to binge watch this becoming there's no real plot and it's repetitive, but if you like light hearted themed anime then this might be for you.
Tyrannicswine117
Warning possible Spoilers Going into this I was expecting a ripoff of Food Wars, instead what I got was a restaurant filled with interesting people and food you'd definitely want to try. Story (6/10) The story is the weakest aspect, but I don't think a story was really necessary here, the episodes are just random interactions with characters from a fantasy world, who happen to discover a mysterious door that leads them to a restaurant, which makes food from our world and each of these characters have a specific dish they like, that's pretty much it. At first I thought this was a little dull, because even the moreprominent characters don't get much focus, however the more I watched, the more I started to enjoy it. Mainly because I liked the amount of characters that were introduced showing how expansive this fantasy world was, along with the excellent reactions and descriptions they give for the dish they try.
Also if you came here thinking there would be an end goal to this show, there really isn't, the last episode just felt like another episode and despite ending on a happy note, I didn't feel fully satisfied.
Characters (7/10)
The characters were definitely an interesting part of the show, although with the amount that there is, it's kinda hard to keep track of them.
The MC's are Tenshu, Aletta and Kuro, these 3 characters are the ones who work in the restaurant and provide the other interesting beings their meals, however each of these 3 are different in personalities, Tenshu is the man in charge so his personality came off as wise, but also humble since he cared about the customers enjoyment instead of money.
Aletta, a half demon girl who doesn't have a very easy life, is a waitress in the restaurant, she is a very happy girl who doesn't really let much get her down, but she is also fascinated with the food that Tenshu makes and how different it is from her own world.
Kuro, a dragon who also becomes a waitress, doesn't show up until after the halfway point, yet the screentime she still has made her a relatively interesting character, she rarely spoke with her mouth, instead using her mind which did make her a little intimidating, she does become a little more open to the others by the end.
Now all the other characters aren't memorable, but they do hold some worth to the show, I do like how each character who discovers the restaurant have a backstory leading up to it, which shows how big this fantasy world is.
Art (9/10)
The is definitely the strongest aspect of the whole show, the detailing of the food was top notch and made me want to have those same dishes, it's kinda funny how anime can make food more delicious than it is in real life.
The design of the characters were pretty good too, each person looked different and unique, plus I liked the variety of characters too, Dragons, Demons, Sirens, Fairies, Dwarfs, Lizardmen, Elves, Mermaids, along with the normal humans this fantasy world had a lot to offer.
Sound (8/10)
The op strangely enough was damn enjoyable, definitely one of the better ops I've heard this year, it had that fantasy feel to it, while also having a catchy tune to keep you interested, the soundtrack wasn't too bad either, it had some bits that stood out to me like the Siren's piece which nicely fitted the moment.
Extra's:
The mystery element of the show was done well, since it captured the reactions of new customers who had no idea what this place was, along with their reaction to the food that they have never encountered before, it was fun seeing how these strange people would react to something they had no idea existed.
The comedy was ok, I could definitely tell this show was desperately trying not to ripoff Food Wars orgasm scenes, it did well despite a few moments where some of the characters did have a moment like that, I also enjoyed some of the arguments the customers had with each other, as they kept arguing which dish was the best, hell most of an episode was devoted to an argument about Sandwiches, which seemed pretty stupid, but looking back on it, it was funny.
Enjoyment (7/10)
Overall (7/10)
Overall this was a nice and simple anime, if you're a fan of Food Wars or just food in general you might enjoy this, although I would recommend watching this after you have filled you're belly, otherwise the show would make you get up and cook something just to satisfy yourself.
