Shinya shokudô

While not every episode hit the spot, most were small delights. A series of vignettes to savour.

I was hooked half-way through the first episode. I saw the word "kind" in another review here and, while it's not a word one usually associates with a TV series, kindness is one of the over-arching themes of the series. Kaoru Kobayashi, the main character (everyone calls him Master) has the kind of kindness that comes from inner strength, compassion, and wisdom. The revolving ensemble of characters is wonderful. Great casting! Sometimes the show seems to be a comedy, other times a drama, or a melancholy tale of unrequited. Food, the sharing of, and the making of, is a important part of the show, as well. He cooks simple food, but every dish looks delicious! I see the series was rebooted in 2019. I hope it, too, shows up on Netflix.

Beware, there are two shows on Netflix with a similar name. They are basically the same, but presented separately. Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories, has two seasons from 2016 and 2019, and was commissioned by Netflix, but the original three Midnight Diner seasons ran from 2009 to 2014. I didn't know the difference at first, and couldn't understand why Netflix couldn't remember which episode I last watched, and why the characters use old cellphones in one episode and then a more advanced one in the next! Anyway, regardless of which series you watch, these slow-moving episodes are delightful as you get familiar with the culture, food, eating habits and regular customers of the restaurant dubbed the Midnight Diner, which, as the title suggests, opens at midnight. The owner, known as "Master", is willing to prepare any dish, as long as he has the ingredients. There is a short cooking summary at the end, so stay tuned until the credits. There are recurrent characters in both shows, but each episode can also be a stand-alone. The episodes are short and low-key, so you can watch it to unwind after a hectic day.

The show brings about a serene calm when you watch it. The delicate theme mixed with the intricately flavoured characters, makes it a bowl you just can't keep down.

Ultimately, this is about important moments in our lives and the foods we often associate with them.

The stories are set at the Midnight Diner, a small and comfortable hole-in- the-wall sitdown you wish you could call your own.

Open from midnight until seven in the morning, it attracts an array of regular and casual denizens. The proprietor will make whatever is ordered, so long as he's got the ingredients.

Often what's ordered are comfort foods that remind the patron of the home of their youth, of a parent or someone close, or of a memorable or important life event. Sometimes it's all of the above.

Many of the tales are peculiar, and even if you suspect a direction the story will take, it likely won't.

Everything about the show is simple and unassuming, which of course is akin to most of our comfort foods.

This won't resemble anything you've ever seen. We laughed out loud throughout and shed several tears. Every last second of it is beautiful, thoughtful, and unexpected.