Shinya shokudō / 深夜食堂 I

The First Installment 

"When people finish their day and hurry home, my day starts.

Pork miso soup combo. Beer, sake, shochu. That's all I have on my menu. But I can make whatever customers request as long as I have the ingredients for it. That's my policy. My diner is open from midnight to seven in the morning. 

They call it 'Midnight Diner'. Do I even have customers? More than you would expect." (Master)

Customer requests and other dishes served by the Master:

Episode 1:1

~ Ginger fried pork

~ Grilled cod roe, medium rare and shochu on the rocks

~ Fried horse mackerel

~ Fried red wieners (cut into shape of an octopus)

~ Sweet rolled omelette

Wisdom from Katagiri: "Life is like the Sumida River. You have to keep your distance. Don't underestimate life."

Interesting fact: Sushi restaurants serve sweet rolled omelettes and soba restaurants serve soup stock omelettes.

Episode 1:2

~ Bonito flakes sprinkled on warm rice, dressed with soy sauce. Cat rice.

Wisdom from Katagiri: "Life is like the Nile River. Sometimes you float, sometimes you drown. Don't underestimate life."

Interesting fact: In the western region, they add miso soup to cat rice instead of soy sauce. 

Episode 1:3

~ Bowl of natto (soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. natto)

~ Ochazuke with cod roe

~ Ochazuke with salmon

~ Ochazuke with pickled plum

* Ochazuke is hot tea over rice.

Interesting observation/opinion: As long as men still exist, women can never be friends.

Episode 1:4

~ Potato salad

~ Pork miso soup with extra rice

~ Special Stamina Combo

Friendly advice: Go to your hometown often and visit your family whilst you still can.

Episode 1:5

~ Japanese beer

~ Deep fried tofu

~ Butter rice, with a few drops of soy sauce

Why food critic, Masao Toyama, is not going to write a review for this diner: "I don't want anyone else to know about this place. If it gets too popular, I won't be able to get a seat. Besides, I can't give stars to butter rice."

Episode 1:6

~ Split mackerel

~ Katsudon (pork cutlet, egg and onions served over a bowl of hot steamed rice)

~ Parent-and-child rice.

Wisdom from Katagiri: "Life is like the Yoshiko River. You decide who you want to be with."

Interesting fact: The best mackerel are from Rausu, Shiretoko.

Episode 1:7

~ Egg sandwiches accompanied by ham and cucumber sandwiches for a little variety

~ Macaroni salad

Wisdom from Katagiri: "Life is like the Arisu River. Some are rich, some are poor. Don't underestimate life."

Interesting observation/opinion: Platonic love never works out. It's a universal rule.

Episode 1:8

~ Yakisoba (Japanese fried noodles) with sauce and a fried egg on top

Interesting fact: Yakisoba tastes better if you sprinkle Shimanto River seaweed on it.

Episode 1:9

~ Butterflied horse mackerel from Numazu

Wisdom from Katagiri: "Life is like the Nagara River. Full of ups and downs. I take my hat off to you."

Interesting fact: As Midnight Diner is not a bar, Master can only serve three alcoholic drinks per customer and any arguments amongst patrons must be taken outside.

Useful tip for grilling fish: River, skin. Ocean, flesh. Grill freshwater fish skin-side first. Grill saltwater fish flesh-side first. They'll taste better that way. 

Episode 1:10

~ Instant ramen with seaweed

~ Grilled crab (for Christmas)

Katagiri's achievement: Creating an abacus using peanuts.

Wisdom from Master: "Life is like the Modori River. You wander, lose your way, and come back. Don't underestimate life."

Episode 2:1

No new requests made or new dishes mentioned.

Episode 2:2

~ Fried chicken 

~ Whisky and soda highball

Episode 2:3

~ Clams steamed with sake served with a cup of sake and a bowl of rice on the side

Wisdom from Katagiri: "The Aegean Sea can be seen from between the legs of the dancer as she mourns for bygone happiness. A man's road leads all the way to Rome. Don't get ahead of yourself in life."

Episode 2:4

~ Jellied fish broth 

~ Flounder simmered in soy sauce

Wisdom from a customer: "Life is all about timing. If you meet the right person at the right time, who knows what will happen?"

Episode 2:5

~ Pacific saury with kabayaki sauce 

~ Oiled sardines, grilled Japanese style and canned mackerel, stir fried with bitter gourd

~ Sweet and sour pork with pineapple

~ Tuna mayo with rice

Episode 2:6

~ Cream stew

~ Roasted green tea at dawn

Interesting theory: If you can catch the mole on your palm, your life will be full of happiness.

Wisdom from Katagiri: "Like Tytyl and Mytyl, children will be fine on their own. The blue bird flew away from the tiny hand. Even if you can't catch it, your dream lives on. Don't underestimate life."

Episode 2:7

~ Pickled Napa cabbage

Episode 2:8

~ Hot pot udon

~ Cold noodles

Interesting theory: Someone once said that women who are sensitive to cold are more attractive than women who are sensitive to heat.

Episode 2:9

~ Meat and potato stew

Wisdom from Katagiri: "Don't try to stop me, mother. The dragon on my back needs a robe. Don't walk the wrong path in life."

Episode 2:10

~ Ginger ale

~ Fried dumplings with garlic (gyoza)

Episode 3:1

~ Minced meat cutlets

Episode 3:2

~ Tomato rolls (cherry tomatoes wrapped in bacon rashers and grilled)

Friendly advice from manga artist, Osami Tezuka: If you can't take it anymore, walk away and try something else. You can always pick up your own again when you're ready.

Episode 3:3

~ Squid and taro stew

Episode 3:4

~ Chilled tofu

~ Skewered cutlet

~ Red pickled ginger tempura 

Episode 3:5

~ Glass noodle salad

~ Kids Special

Episode 3:6

~ Stuffed cabbage rolls

Episode 3:7

~ Clam soup

Episode 3:8

~ Braised burdock root

Poetic description by Mr Chu: Like ephemeral flowers blooming quietly in the shade.

Episode 3:9

~ Leek and liver stirfry

~ Liver and leek stirfry

Interesting fact: "Guragura kuru / You can't be serious" is used to express frustration, anger or despair. This phrase is mainly used in the Kyushu region.

Interesting observation from Master: Leeks and pork liver taste bland if you stirfy them on their own. But when you put them together, they taste a million times better.

Another interesting fact: Deka is Japanese slang for police detectives. During the Meiji period, police detectives wore kakusode instead of uniform. Desokuka, the reverse of kakusode, became the nickname for detectives. Deka comes from the first and last syllables. 

Episode 3:10

~ Handmade soba noodles (New Year's Eve)

~ Rice cake soup (mochi)

Interesting fact: Winter wasabi is extra spicy.

"People finish their day and hurry home. But sometimes, they don't want to go straight back home. So they drop in somewhere else on the way home." (Master).

* Information derived from the Japanese TV series 'Midnight Diner' currently showing on Netflix *

* Images from Midnight Diner Tribute artist: @food.comics *