The Restaurant of Lost Recipes

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the second book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives.

Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner. Running this unique establishment are a father-daughter duo who serve more than just mouth-watering feasts.

The pair have reinvented themselves as 'food detectives', offering a service that goes beyond traditional dining. Through their culinary sleuthing, they reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a connection to cherished moments from the past.

Among those who seek an appointment is a one-hit wonder pop star, finally ready to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career. She wants to try the tempura that she once ate to celebrate her only successful record. Another diner is a budding Olympic swimmer, who desires the bento lunch box that his estranged father used to make him.

The Kamogawa Diner doesn't just serve meals – it revives lost recipes and rekindles forgotten memories. It's a doorway to the past through the miracle of delicious food.

Review

Kashiwai is among a certain coterie of Japanese writers to have perfected a globally successful literary formula: create a café-esque setting with beloved staff who deliver plenty of empathic kindness to customers whose visits inspire stand-alone narratives . . . Deliciousness lingers ― Booklist

This cozy book delights in Japanese cuisine ― Kirkus

Like sights and sounds, tastes are also deeply connected to one's memories. The depictions of the beautiful scenery of Kyoto and its native dishes, which are like the original landscape of Japan, warmed my heart -- Genki Kawamura, author of If Cats Disappeared from the World on The Kamogawa Food Detectives

The food writing is truly superb . . . Reading this heartwarming book almost feels like watching a quiet box set; it's the perfect accompaniment to a rainy autumnal Sunday -- on The Kamogawa Food Detectives ― Cambridge Edition

An absolute joy; hilarious, emotional, and entirely delicious. Hisashi Kashiwai's tales of love lost, found, grown older and reborn are both striking and comforting - truly one of a kind. Delectable and delightful -- Bryan Washington, author of Family Meal on The Kamogawa Food Detectives

About the Author

Hisashi Kashiwai, the author of The Kamogawa Food Detectives, was born in 1952 and was raised in Kyoto. He graduated from Osaka Dental University. After graduating, he returned to Kyoto and worked as a dentist. He has written extensively about his native city and has collaborated on TV programmes and magazines.

Jesse Kirkwood is a literary translator working from Japanese into English. The recipient of the 2020 Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize, his translations include The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto and A Perfect Day to Be Alone by Nanae Aoyama.