Isekai Shokudou

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 on ... the 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.

Why you need to watch this one? let me explain what makes me interested by this series.

It's not all about the food dudes, its life.

When you need something to eat in very difficult situation, foods becomes a hope.

When you find new food that make you warm, foods takes you back to that place.

When you think you don't want to live anymore, foods will give you a reason to live.

... No foodgasm within, but the history before you eat make it interesting.

Is there any cute girls in this series? Yes, blonde haired cute girls named Aletta with horns in her head.
Energetic girl with sad life story.

When I watch the first episodes, absolutely stunning by wake up may'n. They did well for the OP. Energetic and cute song made me want to watch the entire OP.

And for the last, what is Isekai Shokudo?
the answer is

"Restaurant which serve warm foods, whoever they are."

"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.

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 are ... varied 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.

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 have ... never 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.

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 be ... a 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.

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.

What is the strangest ,most unsettling and one of the strongest desires in this entire world. It is the feeling of hunger.... hunger for good food. It is interesting to see how this feeling of hunger can change people's mind drastically. This hunger can make people do any and everything...no matter who it is.. a salaryman or a beast .

The anime "Isekai Shokudou" is a bout a western cuisine restaurant , Nekoya , which seems to be a regular restaurant , serving normal food to people all day, six days a week. But there is a secret. During a weekend, the restaurant ... becomes a eatery for customers from different worlds and races... serving them the same regular food, which on the other hand is somewhat exotic for the non human customers.

This anime shows how a person... be it a human or a beast, is ready to throw away his pride and sit in front of the table , just to enjoy a good meal. Its also about how its is just a single bowl of good food required to win a person's heart.

All of The characters are really good and likable. Besides the main cast, it is also interesting to watch all the different customers and realize how despite being from a different race... behave so much like humans when it comes to food. The setting and all the characters together make it a really enjoyable and heartwarming story.

The Art , being done by silver link, is really beautiful and color palette also matches the theme of the story. The character design is also pretty near but also feels somewhat bland and generic... tho is still not bad. The music... is just amazing ... the OP and Ed are really good and one just doesn't simply skip them.

In conclusion, The anime is actually good. The concept of the show is really interesting.. but with just 4 eps out as of now, there is not a whole i can say about. The show treats all its characters really well with respect which is not something we often see. I would really recommend this show to everyone one if u haven't tried it already.

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 be ... over 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.

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 technically ... a 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.

Thanks for Reading, Send Feedback if You Have Any!

Isekai Shokudou may be one of the most "feel good" anime of the season. We see the real power that food can have over people.

What the show does really well is display the joy that comes from eating food. The experience of ordering food, having it arrive, dissecting it with your eyes, and then tasting everything that comes on your plate. It is a beautiful experience and with Isekai Shokudou, we get just that. Every week is a new happiness as someone gets to experience their favorite for the first time again and again.

The anime does so much with little set up or overly ... complex plot lines. We do get a bit of an origin story, which allows us to become familiar with the patrons of Nekoya, and those backstories are just enough to help us understand the other characters in the show. I'm glad the show so far hasn't tried anything over the top, such as trying to explain why the restaurant shows up every week. The simplicity of the show adds to the beauty of it. It's about how despite all the different experiences and walks of life that makes up these characters, the single experience of enjoying food connects them all.

The pacing of the show is good. I feel we are learning about the MC, the chef I presume, while we also learn about the people he serves food to.

The art is good as well, your typical anime food, which does indeed look amazing. I walk away hungry after every episode.

The music is also another high point for the anime. The soundtrack is quite nice, really amplifying the overall experience. The music played as the characters eat their food for the first time has to be one of the most beautiful compositions this season.

So far Isekai Shokudou is enjoyable from beginning to end and I walk away with a smile every time. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a lighter, nicer anime to kill time with, you won't regret it.

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 from ... the 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.

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 become ... heroes, 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

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 little ... restaurant 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.

Just from watching a few episodes, I’m already in love with this anime.

For the first time in a Long time, an anime that doesn’t give off the same generic vibe.

There are many things different, the anime has a very calm and soothing feel to it unlike all the other anime, this anime has unexpected character personalities.

Almost everyone is a nice person an example would be the Dragon Queen. I mean which anime has a badass looking Dragon Queen that actually isn’t bad?

And the MC, wandering into private property and isn’t exaggeratedly flustered (every anime ever) when the owner finds out?

I’d say this anime isn’t really ... plot driven and focuses more on the main context in the title. Food.

This anime is very calm and has a nice pace to it too!
Truly a hidden gem and if you read this, I highly recommended it.








This review was written on 10-18-18 and may be outdated. I may have changed my rating due to various reasons.

This anime is Shokugeki no Soma, but with no foodgasm and a more mature theme.

This anime comes to a slice-of-life with a twist of an inter-dimensional door, which serves (see what I did there) to introduce various characters and their unique story-lines.

In comparison to Shokugeki no Soma, there is not so much hype towards woohing the audience with super elaborate foods or to make the chef be OP. Instead, the chef is a chef who cooks normal food to characters that have never had such food, which is probably how many of us felt when we try a new food that we end up enjoying ... so much.

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 than ... likely listen to it over and over again. A great tune.

Would recommend.

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!

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 selling ... points 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.

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 foods ... that 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.