The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen
A Novel
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks
Menu
Namero-don: Seasoned minced fish served on rice
Easy omelette sandwich
Umebishio: Pickled-plum jam
Sukiyaki-don: Beef hotpot, served over rice
In a remote seaside town outside of Tokyo, Kotoko makes her way along a seashell path, lured by whispers of an enigmatic restaurant whose kagezen, or traditional meals offered in remembrance of loved ones, promise a reunion with the departed. When a gust of wind lifts off her hat, she sees running after it a young man who looks like her recently deceased brother. But it’s not her brother; it’s Kai, the restaurant’s young chef, who returns her hat and brings her to the tiny establishment, where he introduces her to Chibi, the resident kitten, and serves her steaming bowls of simmered fish, rice, and miso soup—the exact meal her brother used to cook for her. As she takes her first delicious bite, the gulls outside fall silent, the air grows hazy, and Kotoko begins a magical journey of last chances and new beginnings.
-
Creators
-
Series
-
Publisher
-
Release date
February 4, 2025 -
Formats
-
Kindle Book
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780593512722
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780593512722
- File size: 1285 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
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.COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-