The Premise:
In the future, food culture dominates Los Angeles. Two chefs
with divergent styles control a majority of the restaurants, but one
exceptional sushi chef on the outskirts of town threatens to spoil it all.
The Good:
The authors understand their premise is ridiculous and just
have fun with it. The action moves along briskly and there’s plenty of humor
throughout—both broad strokes and more subtle gags. For instance, I suspect the
title is a nod to the documentary. “Jiro dreams of sushi”. It rewards both
cooking nerds and comic book geeks alike.
The Bad:
It’s violent and gory. Those things aren’t “bad”; just
something I wasn’t expecting. Some of the premise described on the back cover,
like “killing for a reservation at a restaurant” weren’t as explicit in the
book. The storytelling is a bit weak in parts. Since this appears to be a
one-off book, it’s fine. If it becomes a series, it could become a problem.
The Verdict:
Check it out. The star of No Reservations knows his food and his audience, so if you like his
humor, it’s a pleasurable diversion while you’re waiting for your sushi rice to
cool.
