The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen

January 1, 2025
The toothsome debut of Japan's award-winning, eight-part Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen series arrives in the U.S. warmly translated by Anderson. In a seaside town an hour-and-a-half from Tokyo is a certain restaurant found only by word-of-mouth. Visitors are welcomed first by a friendly feline--the eponymous Chibineko, meaning "little cat"--and then politely greeted by unassuming chef Kai. "The Chibineko Kitchen / We serve remembrance meals," the outside chalkboard announces, plus the all-important reminder, "This restaurant has a cat." The kagezen--gustatory offerings added to late loved ones' altars--recreated at Chibineko Kitchen (recipes are also appended for additional delight) provide a magical portal that allows brief unions with the beloved dead: "You can hear your loved one's voice again," and receive the exact answers necessary to move forward. In this series starter's four intertwined chapters, a young woman seeks her adored older brother; a student apologizes to his lost first love; an elderly widower is comforted by his gentle wife; and Kai acknowledges his parents' gifts. With gentle empathy, Takahashi transforms tragedies into healing journeys of communal kindness.

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