Restaurant to Another World Season 2

Episode 10

It's interesting having two stories from the same volume: so often, the stories are crossing over from different times in the series' progression. However, episode 10's vignettes “Teriyaki Burger” and “Chocolate Parfait Again” (Chocolate Parfait, Once Again) are indeed from the same book: Book 5, which is the most recent release as of the writing of this review. That said, let's dive right in ad talk about “Teriyaki Burger”.

“Teriyaki Burger” focuses on four characters: Jack, Kento, Terry (of episode 3's “Hamburger”) and Tatsugoro. Our three youthful characters have now become adventurers, only… they've run afoul of a wraith. Thankfully, Tatsugoro is able to get rid of it, and as they say in the novel “really saves their bacon”. Of course, this isn't the fascinating part: the adventure is just table setting. What's more curious is that they all know each other because of Nekoya, and the memories formed there.

It's then that we get transported to Nekoya for Teriyaki Burgers, which are a step up from hamburgers, that's for sure. What's different here is that it's been a while since the kids – now young men – have been to Nekoya, meaning that Kuro is something of a mystery to them. Past that, a lot of what is missing from the novel is context; otherwise, this is a really straightforward adaptation, only it's tighter, for time's sake. And really, tighter is better: we get a satisfying vignette that still feels heartfelt and full without the bloat of having to read twenty or so pages. Just as satisfying, but also on a more suitable schedule, you know?

What's nice is that Tatsugorou's role as a fatherly figure is preserved: he treats our intrepid adventurers to their meal, taking them under his wing for a delectable delight that he gets convinced to try by proxy of their curiosity. It's paired with the three bright-eyed teens who, while all grown up from last we saw them, still retain a child-like joy when eating. Plus, as the resident Teriyaki Chicken eater, the prospect of Teriyaki Burgers is enticing enough, and it'll definitely leave you craving teriyaki anything after this.

I've said before that one of the strengths of this series is in the way it captures slice of life, but in this episode in particular, it's the moment of devouring: that moment when characters take a bite out of what they're eating and relish what I call The Bite™. The Bite™ is that perfect moment when every ingredient aligns. Like the planets aligning, you get a perfect mouthful of a little bit of everything, blending all the layers and elements of what your eating together into well… a satisfying, delicious bite. This happens with every food: take, for example, a piece of bacon. The bite is that perfect balance of fat and meat. You can build this into a BLT: the bite would be equal parts bacon, lettuce, tomato, and sandwich lubrication. (I like ranch!) This exists in all food, and exists, in particular, in episode 9, especially in this first half.

This brings us to the second half of the episode, “Chocolate Parfait, Again” is a story that comes from Book 5, Chapter 94, and is something of a follow-up to “Chocolate Parfait”, a story that happens in Book 1, Chapter 8. That's a looooooooooooong time between the stories, but it does make sense in both the anime and novel, though I encourage you to dig into the novel for some delightful tidbits that make the anime even more enjoyable. The source material also provides a lot of context for Lastina herself, digging into her relatable complex about being weaker than her mother while also bearing the gender-neutral title of Demon King, which is something this vignette doesn't necessarily have time for, but still is in conversation with. It sets ups a really nice look into the demonic denizens of the other world, and also into Lastina enjoying a Chocolate Parfait with Princess Adelheid, who is a fellow fan of fantastic parfaits and has the brilliant idea to upgrade that chocolate parfait to include cafe, i.e. coffee, making it a mocha parfait.

All in all, episode 10 is actually one of the best episodes of this season. There's so much joy in the series, leaving me hungry for next week's episode while also satisfying me at the same time. Lastina is a joy, Adelheid is charming, Tatsugorou is delightfully fatherly, and Jack, Kento, and Terry remain the enthusiastic bunch we saw earlier this season. All of it comes together for the perfect stew of characterization, delightful slice of life moments, and worldbuilding that is well-executed to the very end. My compliments to the chef: episode 10 is exactly what I like about this series, and feels great ahead of the final three episodes for this season.

Next week: “Quiche” and “Coffee Float”, both of which come from different volumes, including one that's not currently out in English. Thankfully, we've got this very delightful treat of an anime to enjoy two delicious foods, though I can't eat eggs (as a main component of a dish) myself. Still, I can delight in watching denizens of a world I can never visit enjoy good eats! I simply can't wait until next week!

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Restaurant to Another World Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Mercedez is a JP-EN translation and localization Editor & Proofreader/QA, pop culture critic, and a journalist who, when not writing for ANN, writes for Anime Feminist, where she's a staff editor, and for But Why Tho?. She's also a frequent cohost on the Anime Feminist Podcast, Chatty AF. This season, she's devouring Restaurant to Another World bite by delicious bite. When she's not writing and reviewing, you can find her on her Twitter or on her Instagram where she's always up to something.