The Menu of Happiness

The Menu of Happiness, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the third book in the bestselling, delightful Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

Welcome to the Kamogawa Diner, where every meal is a mystery ready to be solved. This unique establishment is run by a father–daughter duo who offer more than just mouth-watering meals. They act as ‘food detectives’, delving into the past to produce nostalgia-infused dishes for their hungry clientele.

Among the patrons is a once-renowned pianist whose promising career was marred by a self-inflicted injury. She longs to taste the yakisoba shared with the only man she ever truly loved. The diner also welcomes a man haunted by shadows of regret. His mind races back to the gyoza served by the parents of a lover he once jilted, as he seeks understanding and, perhaps, forgiveness.

The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve food – it revives the essence of forgotten recipes and rejuvenates cherished memories. Each dish is a portal to the past, serving not just sustenance but solace and reconnection through the miracle of delicious food. The Menu of Happiness follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives and The Restaurant of Lost Recipes.

‘Feel-good and foodie themes collide in this follow-up to The Kamogawa Food Detectives’ - The Times

The Menu of Happiness was a Japanese bestseller when it published w/c 04/01/2016

Feel-good and foodie themes collide in this follow-up to The Kamogawa Food Detectives The Times on The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
Kashiwai is among a certain coterie of Japanese writers to have perfected a globally successful literary formula: create a cafe-esque setting with beloved staff who deliver plenty of empathic kindness to customers whose visits inspire standalone narratives . . . Deliciousness lingers Booklist on The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
This cosy book delights in Japanese cuisine Kirkus on The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
A treasure-trove of positivity and charm Prima on The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
In addition to tantalizing recipes, the narrative is driven by the desire to recapture lost love, reconcile with a parent or relive one’s youth. Ingredients and items are lovingly detailed . . . The equivalent of delightful comfort food Library Journal on The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
Like sights and sounds, tastes are also deeply connected to one’s memories. The depictions of the beautiful scenery of Kyoto and its native dishes, which are like the original landscape of Japan, warmed my heart -- Genki Kawamura, author of If Cats Disappeared from the World, on The Kamogawa Food Detectives
Author Hisashi Kashiwai shows a tremendous amount of empathy for his characters as well as a gentle humour. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll open a delivery app Apple Books

Hisashi Kashiwai was born in 1952 and was raised in Kyoto. He graduated from Osaka Dental University. After graduating, he returned to Kyoto and worked as a dentist. He has written extensively about his native city and has collaborated on TV programmes and magazines.

Jesse Kirkwood is a literary translator working from Japanese into English. The recipient of the 2020 Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize, his translations include The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto and A Perfect Day to Be Alone by Nanae Aoyama.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.