Ristorante Paradiso was an interesting little series. It's strongest points were the art style, which had broad European features to match the ethnicity of the characters. It was very interesting to see from this perspective and I very much enjoyed this style of animation and colour.
Along with the art style, the characters were one of the best parts of the series. I was particularly stricken with Gigi as he reminded me of a curious and quiet cat, but each one was interesting in their own ways.
While it was beautifully animated and had talented seiyuu, it's weakest point was definitely the music. I did not feel as though the OP and end themes fit the style or mood of this series at all, and the whole end sequence was so banal I just skipped it after the first viewing and the OP, although nicely animated, was generally skipped as well because I didn't enjoy the pop ballad the studio chose for the theme. The sound wasn't bad and fit the feeling of a ristorante, but the music just did not move me at all. :(
I was also disappointed that there was not more food in the series. There were a few scenes or episodes that kind of hinted at food and a couple that were kind of about food, but really there was more talk of being a cook/chef then emphasis on the food itself. It was terribly done, but I've certainly seen other anime do a better job of it (such as Antique Bakery) and it would have been nice to have seen a day at the market episode or one that was dedicated to flavours. One episode came pretty close, though in the end it was still more about being a chef and the relationships of the staff than really about the food, but it was close enough.
Overall, this was a nice little anime and it could easily been an 8 or 9, despite how predictable the plot was and the lack of emphasis on the food (NOT enough food porn for a Restaurant/cooking anime!), had they thought to pay more attention to the music.
