Shinya Shokudo 2 Drama Notes (Ep. 2)

[earth_colors]

Episode 12 (Ep2 of S2): "Fried Chicken and Highball"

Episode Synopsis. In one corner of the counter sits a girl named Saya (Hirata Kaoru) with eyes closed and a tiny smile on her lips. She seems to be sleeping, perhaps lulled by the crackling sound of chicken meat frying away in hot oil from Master's kitchen...

The male regulars of Meshi-ya, as usual, watch her enjoy her peaceful slumber. But once she wakes up, they know she'll return back to her haggard, fatigued look. She can't drink beer for she still has to go back to work so Master mixes a highball to go with her usual order of fried chicken. Then, Saya's boyfriend, Shosuke, an aspiring stand-up comedian, comes in the diner. He's rude to her and throws a fit, upsetting Yakuza henchman, Gen, who just happened to step inside. A brawl ensues between them. Detectives Noguchi and Adachi step in to subdue the two. However, Adachi, with a surprised look on his face, stops as he sees and recognizes Saya...
Episode 12 is directed by Yamashita Nobuhiro (Linda, Linda, Linda; A Gentle Breeze in the Village) who also handled eps. 7 and 9. (info/pic: mbs)


Character Spotlight: The Subordinates

Gen (Yamanaka Takashi). A young Yakuza henchman. Though at first glance he may come off as brash and ill-tempered, he is fiercely loyal to his boss, Ryu. His usual order is ramen, preferably not served hot. It was revealed at the end of Season 1 that he has a young son living abroad.

Det. Adachi (Adachi Tomomitsu). He is a subordinate of Det. Noguchi. A regular patron of Meshi-ya, his character first appeared in Ep. 1 of Season 1. His usual order is grilled ginger pork meal.

Episode Notes:

Menu. The famous Meshi-ya menu has been updated at last. It reads as:

"Tonjiru [pork and vegetable in miso broth] meal - 600 yen [$7]
Beer (large) - 600 yen
Sake (2 items) - 500 yen [$6]
Shochu (full glass) - 400 yen [$5]
Highball (full glass) - 400 yen
Liquor is limited to 3 orders per person."

Insert songs. The soothing songs (including whimsical ditties of recipe instructions) being played are from uprising indie blues singer/musician, Furuhata Kimie.

Frying chicken twice. In Asia (China, Korea, Malaysia, etc.), it is recommended to fry chicken twice - first to cook the meat through; then for the second time to ensure crispy skin and to seal in the juices. (info: themindfulbite) (pic: foodrepublic)

Highball. Acc. to wiki, a highball is not just a mixture of 'whiskey and soda,' it is any mixed drink that has a combination of an alcoholic spirit and a larger dose of a non-alcoholic mixer. Other examples are gin and tonic, Bloody Mary, Mai Tai, Moscow Mule, ginger ale, and Rum Coke. When it comes to its name, one of the more plausible theories is that a 'ball' refers to a glass of whiskey, while the word 'high' comes from the tall glass in which it is served. (pic: miss-charming)