Restaurant to Another World: Vol. 1

Gr 10 & Up–From Monday to Friday, Western Restaurant Nekoya is as a totally normal establishment. But come Saturday, the door to the restaurant magically distorts the space-time continuum and allows patrons from other worlds to come and dine. Whether the clientele are treasure hunters, elves, or lizardmen isn’t important; all that matters is that they all have a preference for one-of-a-kind cuisine. And with the restaurant’s mysterious yet talented owner at the helm of the kitchen alongside the up-and-coming demon waitress Aletta, no culinary request is unfeasible! While the book is low on conflict, the short stories provide enough to hold readers’ attention. Aletta is an adequately developed protagonist, but the unnamed chef of the restaurant does remain a mystery. Fans of titles that have artwork that concentrate on edible delights will find themselves delighted, as the depictions of the chef’s creations are rich in detail (as are the character designs and backgrounds). There is some casually inserted fan service, but by and large, the book is a pleasing and sunny story, and one that could rope in casual readers of manga in addition to the medium’s usual fans. Order up!