Review: RESTAURANT TO ANOTHER WORLD Is a Delightful Food Manga
Yen Press was kind enough to send me a copy of Restaurant to Another World. The manga is written by Junpei Inuzuka with art by Takaaki Kugatsu and character design by Katsumi Enami and is an adaptation of the light novel series. It’s another food-based manga like the popular series Food Wars, but it’s also very different. I actually really enjoyed reading the first volume of the series and cannot wait for the next.
By all appearances, Western Restaurant Nekoya is a normal restaurant serving normal people-but unbeknownst to the regulars, it also attracts an alternative clientele. Every Saturday, all manner of fantastical beings come to dine, and what is familiar fare to humans can be downright exotic for visitors from beyond. To these customers, Nekoya is known by a different name: Restaurant to Another World.
So, each chapter of the manga typically focuses on a different patron at Western Restaurant Nekoya and typically the issues take place on different weeks (as the events only occur once a week). First we meet a treasure hunter, then a demon, a vegan elf comes next, and then a dragon (sort of). The characters are all fun so far and it’s fun to watch them question the restaurant before eating the food. One thing I appreciate is that while there’s a little bit of innuendo with their enjoyment of the food, it’s nowhere near as awkward as Food Wars. I like Food Wars, but there are times it gets to be a bit much.
I also really like how the chef, whose name we never learn, is totally humble about his cooking. He knows that it’s good, but isn’t constantly in your face about it. He doesn’t do anything to be the best or anything. He just cooks and happens to be amazing at it. This is actually really important since the story is never really about him. It’s about the various patrons and Aletta, who becomes a waitress.
The food always looks amazing, and I’m always jealous about how good everything looks. Why can I never get my food to look so good? If you’re looking for a fun and light-hearted manga, I would highly recommend reading Restaurant to Another World. You can get a physical copy from bookstores, Amazon, and more. Meanwhile, you can purchase it through outlets like comiXology.
