Izakaya Bottakuri

- Season 1

(2018)

The two sisters who run the Izakaya serve several regular customers. Menu for the days is oden, fried fish, miso egg and the alcohol accompaniment that goes with them. The sister-proprietors bring smiles to the faces of their customers as they recall their father, who founded the restaurant, and his advice. Their father had an explanation for the Izakaya's name.

The Izakaya is churning out good food to its customers' satisfaction. These include a few personal recipes and customer requests. The younger sister may be coming down with a cold and leaves early. A late customer walks in initially seeking shelter from the rain and then staying because the food is so impressive.

The Izakaya proprietress is there to serve food and drinks and earn a living. She also prides herself on making her customers gratified to be there and have satisfied tummies. What she was not counting on is a woman asking for help learning a recipe so she could make her tired man happy and satisfied.

The day's special is meat and tofu and it has enthusiastic customers. The Izakaya substitutes this dish with the regular ones in order to create variety. The atmosphere is jolly until a customer called Aki walks in and looks sullen and jolly. She is discouraged at work and looking for something new and different.

It is the warmest point of the summer and an eel meal sounds appropriate. Saki wants to buy eels and treat her parents who work hard and are often exhausted, but she does not have enough money. Mine makes a deal with her. Saki can help with the cleaning and Mine will help her buy and prepare the eel.

He is put to work helping with the electrical work when a regular customer, who is also an electrician, walks in. He has an apprentice with him as well. The new employee has been the subject of a complaint by a customer due to the man's profuse sweating. it is a warm day and yet the employee is concerned. The pub owner and chef suggests a recipe that may help.

Mine is wondering what to serve as the night's special at her Izakaya. She has bought tomatoes of different sizes and is contemplating whether a good recipe is to be had. Her sister is doubtful, but agrees to wholeheartedly recommend the tomato-based dish nevertheless. The local grocer notes that his own son dislikes tomatoes and asks Mine for a recipe to turn the situation around.

It is a warm day and everyone is feeling it. A regular customer who usually orders plenty of food and drinks walks in and is so impacted by the heat that cannot stomach food for the day. He only wants to drink beer. The proprietress wonders whether she has become stagnant and stale with keeping up with patrons' needs.

The sisters are opening for the day and noting how the weather is rowing colder when the family doctor walks in. It is his first visit to the Izakaya. It turns out he was making a house call and was in the area. His wife is out of town so he can use an extra supper. The sisters prepare to serve him.

A man and his wife had an argument over eggs and the man does not want to go home. rather, he prefers to stay longer at the Izakaya, but upon reflection and discussion with the cook, waitress and the regulars discovers that he many have been the mistaken party. Luckily, food can bring people together as it can drive them apart.

An old recipe does not turn out the way the cook hoped it would. An old women wonders whether her old childhood friends are still around and what they are up to. Perhaps social media could help? A repeat customer drops in and relates how the Izakaya has made in impression on him. The waitress laves work early.