The Other World Dining Hall

Hamburg Steak Once Again

In a coffee shop located at a shopping area, Yamagata Saki confirmed her resume.

(—Okay, this should be fine, I guess.)

She made sure that there was no mistake, exhaled and put the resume inside an envelope.

Last week… while she was preparing for her coming-of-age ceremony, her grandmother Koyomi who lived in her parents’ house came to talk to her, and told her that she could be hired as part-time kitchen helper.

TN: Coming of Age Day is a j.a.panese holiday held annually on the second Monday of January. It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have reached the age of majority (20 years old) over the past year, and to help them realize that they have become adults.

She had heard that she would be interviewed during a “day off”, but unless there’s a problem, she heard that she would pa.s.s.

(…My first part-time job, huh.)

During the age of 20, Saki would experience her first part-time job.

Studying was a student’s main duty. She had promised her father long ago who thought that it was outrageous to neglect education for part-time job.

She would be allowed to take part-time job at her uncle’s restaurant as long as she could get the necessary credits for her compulsory subjects until her second year, and after adulthood, she could take responsibility for her actions.

(Un. It’s fine. Oji-san’s restaurant has good reputation.)

Saki was already a college student.

She had a friend that had done plenty of part-time jobs, and there were also friends, regardless of gender, that worked at her uncle’s restaurant back when they were in high school.

Her friends said that “The hourly wage is cheap, but the food is delicious. It’s also nice that we can buy things at the cake shop with cheaper prices due to employee discount.”

It’s quite old, and it’s not a restaurant where girls of her age would go with her friends or for a date, but the food was delicious.

It seemed to be a good place for Saki to acc.u.mulate “training”.

(If I’m going to be a cook, I have to work at a restaurant.)

She drained her cola and stood up with new determination.

It was Saki’s dream to be a chef and have a restaurant of her own.

She liked to cook ever since she’s a kid, and since her dual income parents often came home late, she started to cook ever since she’s in elementary school.

She liked to make new dishes she had never made before, and she also liked to find ways to make her cooking even more delicious, her cooking skill was something that she had raised with great effort.

Staring from when she was a junior high school student whose great-grandmother that couldn’t cook at all living together with her family, she would be given food expense separate from her pocket money and she would use it to buy food ingredients, and during high school, she would give her parents “bento made by their beloved daughter”.

That’s why for Saki, working at a restaurant was an important step towards her dream.

That’s why to persuade her father, Saki worked hard to fulfill his conditions and managed to obtain his permission.

[Okay, let’s go.]

During early lunchtime of “Sat.u.r.day”, Saki walked into the restaurant’s building with great determination.

There was a restaurant at the bas.e.m.e.nt of a building with a signboard of winged puppy just 3 minutes away from the coffee shop.

Western restaurant Nekoya.

That place was Saki’s first step towards her future.

[This place is oji-san’s restaurant… just like what Koyomi obaa-chan

said.]

She admired the restaurant that she had heard many times before from her great-grandmother from the general overview of the street.

There was a signboard stating that “Closed Today” just next to the door with the cat picture, but since she could feel the presence of person from the other side, her uncle should be inside.

[If I’m not mistaken, it’s this key.]

She took out the key given to her by Koyomi during her coming-of-age ceremony.

It was said to be a duplicate key for this door, so she should be able to enter even if it’s a holiday.

(I was already told that it’s going to be fine, but is it really?)

Thinking such, she unlocked the door.

‘Kacha’, the door was unlocked.

[Excuse me. Sorry to disturb you.]

‘Chirinchirin’, Saki said so as she went through the door, and then she stiffened.

(…E? Today, isn’t it a day off?)

A bright room, a smell of various dishes, and customers inside the room. She looked around the inside of the room and noticed.

(Eh? Why are they all dressed like a fantasy world?)

Looking at the inside of the restaurant, there were customers with swords hanging from their waists, people who wore sparkling dresses, and people dressed in Arabian clothing, people she wouldn’t see normally. Besides, most of the people were obviously not j.a.panese.

(…Is there a cosplay party here or what?)

It was what she concluded.

[Ano, welcome to Western restaurant Nekoya.]

She heard a voice from nearby and turned around.

Standing there was a girl that seemed to be a high school student.

She was obviously not j.a.panese, her blonde hair was not dyed.

And she had an unusually designed black hair ornament that looked like horns or something.

Since she was wearing a waitress uniform with a cat picture on the ap.r.o.n, she a.s.sumed that she was an employee of this restaurant.

Perhaps she was a foreign student at one of the universities.

[Aa, thanks. Your j.a.panese is really good… but I’m not a customer though.]

[E?]

For the time being, she judged that there’s no mistake that she was an employee of this restaurant and explained the situation to her.

[Err, I was told to be interviewed during the regular day-off by my uncle… is the owner here?

[Etto… please wait a moment.]

After tilting her head, the girl went to the kitchen to convey Saki’s words.

(A, thank goodness. It’s really oji-san.)

When she saw her uncle who looked the same as when he came for New Year’s greeting, she was a little relieved.

[Saki-chan!? Baa-chan didn’t say that you’re coming!?]

[Etto…?]

When she heard so from her uncle, she was confused.

Apparently, her great-grandmother didn’t warn her uncle that she was coming.

Perhaps it’s related to the situation inside the restaurant today?

[Maa, oh well. I’ll explain the details, but I’m busy right now. Please wait for a while. Feel free to order something, I’ll treat you today.]

While she thought such, her uncle guided her to a seat and said his proposal while giving her a gla.s.s of water.

[E? Is that fine?]

[Ou. This is a restaurant after all.]

Her uncle nodded to her question.

[…I understand.]

Saki thought about it.

It’s a bit late in the afternoon right now, but it would be nice to eat something.

If she thought about it, she didn’t know her uncle’s skill.

According to her great-grandmother, it seemed that he was “as good as Daiki”, but she didn’t know her great-grandfather that well.

(I want something that can show oji-san’s skill. Then…)

After thinking a little, Saki decided.

[I’d like Hamburg steak. With rice.]

A staple Western cuisine. In addition, it’s something that required considerable skill to make.

[Okay. What about the sauce?]

Apparently she could choose the sauce in this restaurant.

[Etto… how about j.a.panese style?]

[Aa, is it okay to include shiso?]

[Yes, that’s fine.]

Saki chose her favourite sauce.

[Okay, I’ve received your order. Please wait a moment.]

After responding, her uncle retreated to the kitchen.

[Well then, excuse me, etto, Saki-sama.]

After that, the waitress bowed her head and went to attend other customers.

(Anyway, there sure are many strange customers here.)

After the two people went away, Saki looked around the room.

Although old, this place was well-maintained and the customers gathering in this restaurant with calm atmosphere seemed strange in her eyes.

(Although they spoke in j.a.panese, they don’t seem to be j.a.panese, and where did they get such clothes?)

Some were eating by themselves, while some were chatting with other customers while eating.

The uncommon thing was not the food, but it’s strange when the customers with foreign facial structure and clothes spoke in j.a.panese.

(Koyomi obaa-chan said that “it’s changed a bit, but it’s a nice restaurant so it’s fine” but this is…)

She was a bit worried while she drank the lemon water, but then her meal came.

[Thank you for waiting. Here’s your j.a.panese style Hamburg steak.]

Drifting from the meat sizzling on top of the iron plate was a burning fragrance of meat, the scent hit her stomach directly.

On top of the meat was sauce made from mixing ponzu1 sauce, grated radish and chopped shisho leaves.

It was garnished with the standard French fries and boiled carrots.

The steaming rice and miso soup placed near its vicinity stimulated her appet.i.te.

[Well then, please enjoy… I think I can make some time after making the omelet, so please wait for a while.]

After that, her uncle returned to the kitchen.

(Omelet? …Oh well.)

The restaurant had its own circ.u.mstances.

As soon as possible, Saki picked up a pair of chopsticks and clasped her hands together.

[Let’s eat.]

Her friends laughed since it was strange, but she would be restless if she didn’t do it, and then she immediately reached for the food.

She had to eat food deliciously.

That was the teaching of her great-grandmother that took care of her in behalf of her busy parents.

Indeed, it was only her great-grandmother that ate her cooking properly even if it’s unsuccessful.

…Indeed, it helped to raise her cooking skill to where it was now.

She liked to eat food, just like she liked to make food.

[A, so soft…]

First of all, without the sauce.

While thinking so, Saki stabbed her chopsticks into the steak.

Saki felt expectation when her chopsticks sank into the meat.

The Hamburg steak was soft. It was not the sticky softness of half-cooked minced meat, and it was not overcooked.

(…Un. It’s cooked properly.)

Seeing the cross-section of the grey meat flowing with meat juice, she was convinced while she brought it to her mouth.

(…A, it’s delicious.)

Pork, beef, salt and pepper.

The Hamburg steak, which was probably made from common ingredients, was delicious.

She tasted the meat and its meat juice, feeling the slightly coa.r.s.e texture of the minced meat. It was not original, but it was made with care.

Saki was fond of this taste.

(Un. The rice and miso soup are properly cooked.)

She ate the meat with rice and miso soup.

Properly cooked rice decided the restaurant’s fate. The rice she’s eating now was plump.

The rice grains were not mushy, nor were they wet.

The miso soup felt like that the umami from bonito and kelp was extracted properly, and no ingredients were overcooked.

(It’s diligently made, un.)

Even though she cooked for herself, Saki also liked to eat out using some of her living expense ever since she entered university, and she liked this place.

She liked it as a customer, and it was delicious enough to the extent that she wanted to eat here sometimes.

(Well then, next is…)

The other dishes seemed delicious as well, so maybe she would come again as a customer.

While thinking about such, she ate the Hamburg steak with sauce now.

The grated radish provided a bit of bitterness, complimenting the refreshing acidity of ponzu sauce and saltiness of soy sauce.

The umami of soup stock was mixed in a little.

Also, the refreshing flavor of shisho lingered slightly in her mouth making the thick Hamburg steak easier to eat.

(Un, I should eat this with rice.)

She cut the meat apart with chopsticks, ate the rice, drank the miso soup and went back to the steak.

Only for this time she forgot that she was planning to get hired here and the strange customers, Saki was enjoying herself as a customer.

[Excuse me, This place, is it possible to refill rice?]

[Yes, it’s fine. Rice, bread and soup are refillable. Would you like to refill your soup too?]

[Yes please.]

She nodded with a smile and her request was brought immediately.

—Un. This place is good. I don’t mind being employed in uncle’s restaurant that serves food like this.

While enjoying the remaining Hamburg steak with her second serving of rice and miso soup, Saki secretly decided.

This restaurant was suitable to polish her cooking skill.

…After that, it was a few minutes later when Saki screamed after she saw the customer that came for “omurice” at noon.

Anyway, that was the day Saki was accepted as a new employee of Nekoya and found out about otherworld dining hall.

TN: She got accepted!