Midnight Diner

Based on a comic by Yarou Abe, Shinya Shokudo is a story about a small hole in the wall late night restaurant (literally Shinya Shokudo in Japanese) that operates between midnight and 7:00 a.m. in the morning. The restaurant is run by only one person, the master (Kaoru Kobayashi) of the joint. There are only four items on the menu Tonjiru (pork based stew), beer, sake, and shochu (potato liquor), but customers can order anything the master can make in his kitchen. The restaurant is located in the Hanazono area of Shinjuku, and has only the generic description of "Meshiya" (food place in Japanese) on its lantern.

So far 20 episodes has been on air between 2009 (the first series) and 2011 (the second series). They were all broadcast in the late night slot between midnight and 2:00 in the morning. For a late night program that are considered a "hit" if they average 1% viewers, this program consistently got over 2% ratings that attests to its popularity.

The episodes consists of life stories of customers who frequent the restaurant, but starting in the second series, each episodes consists of new customer who have their own life stories going. Because of the hours the restaurant operates, and the nature of its size, customers who frequents the place have their life in specialized areas of society that includes gangs, construction workers, lady godiva, and also part timer, fast food joint owner, salaried workers, but most of them has special background that makes the story unique and interesting.

Each episodes has particular dish that master makes that relates to the story. The list of foods on each of the episodes are as follows:

Season 1:

1. Baked Sausage and tamago yaki.

2. Bonito shavings and rice

3. Rice with tea

4. Potato salad.

5. Butter rice

6. Katsu Donburi

7. Egg sandwich

8. Yaki soba

9. Broiled Aji

10. Ramen

Season 2:

1. Baked Sausage

2. Chicken Karaage

3. Steamed clam

4. Nikogori (gelatin left from cooking fish)

5. Canned foods

6. Cream Stew

7. Pickeled Bock Choi

8. Cold ramen

9. Potato cooked with beef

10. Gyoza (Pot Stickers)

The series is superb in that it tells the story of the underbellies of the society with emotion, sentiment and love unlike any other stories told. Food designer Nami Iijima designed the foods that appear in this series, and all of these items are common items consumed by Japanese families, but not usually served in ordinary Japanese restaurants.

If you can find a copy of this drama, it will be an interesting watch guaranteed.

I can certainly recommend this Japanese series. It brings to life a group of characters and their multi-dimensional life stories. They all are customers of a late night diner, and each story is told to completion, and matched to a favorite dish. It is a very slow but interesting way to tell a story.

I just have no language to communication the story - at all. It is drab, dry and surface deep. Well that would be it from one point of view.

For me though, i just want to say, i was broken hearted when i found out there was no more seasons - more than an other show ever!

I can't for the life of me say why.

Why would i say that, well i felt this series drum up all the naive childish experience and the craving i once had to learn how to be a human .... and crystallized it in a single series.

I can't say it is a moral endeavour but for me it was and well, better than anything else a came across in the past 20+ years. In the scope it was also revealing and heart warming. I will watch this series again more than any other over the rest of my life.

I can't speak to the potential audience in this review because there is just so many points of view, what i can do though is speak to the creators:

SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO thank you from the bottom of my heart, this is beyond magic and had enriched my soul beyond measure. i use this series as healing..... I use it and i want you all to know that it would not be magical if the people involved were not contributors to the magic. This is one of a kind! SO SO SO SO SO SO thank you very much!!!

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.

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.