Midnight Diner

[Drunk Monk]

Turns out this was the show my dog park friend recommended not this http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=6792

This is about an all night diner that has a limited menu but the cook will do special orders. He cultivated a quirky clientele of regulars. There’s an epilogue with a recipe that reminds me of other Japanese tv shows.

It’s amusing. I’ll probably watch some more.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

I watched the first season (thought I reviewed it? Guess not). Enjoyed it immensely. Quiet show. Interesting characters.

[Drunk Monk]

Omg  CAT RICE!

Damn, that brought me back. I loved cat rice when growing up. I was overwhelmed with nostalgia in this very poignant episode about a singer and her love of cat rice. 

It made me realize that I’ve only had pre-prepped bonito flakes, never freshly shaved like in this ep. I love bonito flakes. I was raised on that. I must find a source that hand shaves them like in this show.

I don’t eat white rice anymore that much because it spikes blood sugar. I’ll occasionally have a piece of sushi, but now I gots the mad crave for cat rice. I can’t remember the last time I had it. I used to make it for myself before I lived with Stacy so maybe 30+ years ago? 

This ep - e2 - hooked me. I got all sorts of feels in such a short ep.

3 seasons 10 25min eps each. I’m in.

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I suppose this needs some ‘splainin’

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Lifestyle / Food & Drink
Legends: neko manma



Janice Leung

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Published: 12:00am, 13 Sep, 2012


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Neko manma translates literally as "cat rice", which means cat food. It usually consists of a bowl of rice with various toppings, which can range from bonito flakes to fish bones, miso soup, or mayonnaise. The difference seems to depend on where in Japan you are from. 
It is said that neko manma was originally intended as cat food, and made from leftovers. Ironically, most neko manma combinations call for oils and condiments that aren't suitable for cats' diets.
Felines often appear in Japanese mythology, and they are viewed with respect and fear. The maneki neko, or beckoning cat, will bring fortune, whereas the bakeneko, the vampire cat, was an evil spirit.
In the hit comic book series Shinya Shokudo, about a late-night diner in Tokyo's red-light district, a character begins meowing after eating a bowl of neko manma. She returns to the restaurant after her death in the form of a cat.
Manma is baby talk for rice, and some say it's called that because it reminds people of the food they had as children. Others say it's because it was served to cute kittens. 
In and around Tokyo, neko manma generally consists of rice topped with bonito flakes and soy sauce. Butter is produced up north in Hokkaido, so that is added there. Others add miso soup, hot pot soup, raw egg, or whatever is handy. 
Traditionalists see piling food onto a bowl of rice as crude, as food should be served on separate plates, and rice should be served "clean". So neko manma was usually eaten at home, out of public view. 
But these days, restaurants serve different versions of the dish, as it has become hip. An association called the Neko Manma Chi-i Ko-jo I-in Kai, which translates as the Association for the Advancement of Neko Manma, has even published a series of beautifully photographed cookbooks, such as Adults' Neko Manma. This targets those with a limited budget who want to make easy, one-bowl meals.

[Drunk Monk]

Binged through to e8. I concur with Doc Yeti - quiet show, interesting characters. 

It reminds me of ratatouille only with the cartoon rats. Each ep revels in some simple dish, and the character have epiphanies connected with these comfort foods, just like the scene in ratatouille where the food critic tries some an all these memories from childhood come flooding back - only Midnight Diner achieves the same emotional punch in less than 25 mins.

It’s all so heartfelt and poignant - simple foods, simple stories - each one feels like a tale that could easily have been overdeveloped into a feature film, but the elegance and brevity here is the power behind what makes these work. Tight writing, humorous and surprising (didn’t see the porn star ep coming and never would’ve guessed where that story was going but it delivered in the end). 

Perhaps I can identify with this because I was raised with a lot of these dishes. Butter rice, ya miso a with fried egg, potato salad… I remember right well but haven’t enjoyed them in years (feckin diabetes). I remember visiting Hawaii every summer as a kid and having sushi long before it became a mainstay in the mainland. I didn’t care for it as a kid but my gramps would always take me and my mom out for a crazy expensive sushi binge which I didn’t appreciate until I was much older. When it started coming tithe US, I was like ‘srsly?’

Comfort food. Comfort stories. It’s all so sweet and savory.

I also like how it’s so critical of dishes being too salty. 

There are some nice shots of Shinjuku. It’s making me wonder if I’ll ever get to Japan. Been through Narita airport otw to PRC and had some surreal experiences there. Missed the opportunity to visit my cousin and a good friend when they lived there for a few years. 

This show is hitting just the right spot for me right now.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

It hit the right spot for me, too. I really needed a show that didn’t make my anxieties worse but was still interesting. Part of the charm is that I have been part of some restaurant cliques and I enjoy that part of society quite a bit. Late night dining is it’s own thing.

[Drunk Monk]

Exactly! I haven’t been part of a late night diner clique since Tara was born but I can still relate.

Now I’m having a brain fart on the name of that great diner in Daly City - the one with all the pro-wrassler pix on the walls because the proprietor used to wrassle. It was in the foothills of mount San Bruno and I’d frequent it after cow palace shows. Luved that joint. The was a review on it that lablled their ‘tough but tender hearted waitresses’ which totally nailed their vibe. Damn that was like 35 years ago now…

Such a quirky yet charming show. There’s a sequel series based in Tokyo but I’m strangely attached to Shinjuku for no particular reason having never been to either place. Maybe it’s my impression from the movies.

[Drunk Monk]

3 eps deep into s2. The final eps of s1 got complicated recalling several stories from previous eps and lending an almost soap opera quality to it. It’s gotten to the point where you need to know what’s happened in the past because it’s self referencing a lot more now, instead of stand alone vignettes. 

The mystery of the Master deepens. 

S2 added some elements like the outro recipe song (which I’m not sold on yet). I was starting to think it was losing speed until the Karate ep, and the great tease from the chopped bottle neck catch by the wandering river-analogy poet who made the peanut abacus. Intriguing and I hope that back story gets revealed inevitably. Some new characters - I like the contrast of the cop and the yakuza dude. Glad the menu expanded to include highballs.

Stacy watched an ep and said it reminded her of when she was in Tokyo in 84. She visited Shinkuju and remembers it being quite the red light district.

[Drunk Monk]

S2e5 was a prime example of how this show works. It’s my next fav after cat rice and the karate one.

So understated. The beautiful prostitute cleaning the inflatable bed with the Silky logo to the sappy ballad was so poignant. The show uses silence well, quiet whir of appliances, air conditioners, it adds to that all-nighter tone.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

“Understated”. That’s the perfect description

[Drunk Monk]

E6 woah a ghost story! No wait, not a ghost story. Wait, wait…a ghost story! Wait no. What?

Did a little wiki-ing. Apparently the 1st 3 season were original for Japanese tv (there are also two feature films). Tokyo stories was exclusively Netflix Japan.

E7: woah that almost went oldboy. Yikes.

Oof then two tragic love affairs. That was a downer.

[Drunk Monk]

Just started s3. The show really builds on itself as characters from previous episodes are constantly stopping by the diner, sometimes even interacting with the story of the episode, but more often just background, only contributing a few observations in between.

Whenever someone eats the spotlighted dish, they act the same: hurriedly takes a big bite, chews rapidly, closes eyes in ecstasy, lets out a satisfied sign and Seay’s ‘oishi’ (delicious). Even the timing of these eating scenes is the same. 

I think there’s an ASMR quality to the cooking scenes, especially all the frying. I can’t say I’ve experienced ASMR but I did some cursory research on it because I thought I might use it for talkdowns somehow. I also aspire to use the stupify spell eventually, hopefully when some nooBs are watching.

I really liked the ep about the sister cake delivery girl trying to find her sister. That had a good mcguffin. 

I also liked how there’s occasional disruptions to the format like the s2 finale that started somehow completely different from the usual opening scene with song and credits.

The peanut abacus guy’s story concluded. Sad to see that play out so and will miss him. Never did figure out what he was trying to do with those eggshells.

[Drunk Monk]

Got to s3e5

Stacy watched the manga ep. She thought it was cute. She meant kawai. Actually I felt that was a lesser ep. I did like how the sign off recipe was done in manga. 

Another Oldboy-like ep. Wtf?!?

And a private investigator ep. Lots of affairs but it is an all night diner.

The high school reunion ep made me realize this will be my 40th hs reunion. Doubt we’ll do anything. I only went to the 10th and yes, Teri Hatcher showed, not that I ever spoke a word to her ever. Nope.not one word. 

The show is losing some freshness. I’m not sure why. It’s still dense short stories but some of the flavor has faded. I’m still invested nevertheless, and hope to get to the Netflix series soon. I also have found one of the movies in chapters on YouTube but didn’t check it to see if it was legit (often those ‘full movie’ are weird ads - plus I need subs for this).

[Drunk Monk]

Only watched one ep tonight. I just had some nighttime tea and it’s making me too drowsy

This was another ep of Mari the stripper. I think it’s the 3rd time an ep has revolved around her. She’s not a great character compared to the yakuza boss that the gay barkeeper loves. Or even the three annoying sisters or the photographer dude. 

Right. Time to visit the land of nod. Prolly be up in the middle of the night because I’m going sleep so early.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

See you here later!

[Drunk Monk]

Ep28 was really odd. The yakuza kid Gen crushing on his old school teacher. Didn’t understand the ending and there was no recipe.

There’s a musical refrain that reminds me of Scarborough Fair.

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29 had another format shift. The explanation of Harry Callahan, the musical interlude ‘you can’t be serious’ and the ending inset about where detectives get their name. Season finale next…