At Japan’s Kurashiki castle, 90-year-old chef holds court

Sayuri Nitani

During lunchtime on a recent holiday, customers were seen waiting in line outside in a cafe built like a castle, complete with a pointed tower and pink balconies, in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.

Inside New Linden, which has been operating for over half a century along a prefectural road, homemade hamburger steaks, Japanese curry and other dishes are served to customers in a cozy atmosphere.

Particularly eye-catching among the offerings is the Napolitan (ketchup-flavored) spaghetti, served on a sizzling iron plate. The signature "special spaghetti" is a feast for the eyes, topped with beaten eggs and a raw egg in the center, and priced at 800 yen (R105).

Chizuko Takahashi, 90, whose husband created the dish and was New Linden's founder, has been in charge of cooking since the cafe's opening.

When cooking the Napolitan, Takahashi sautés the spaghetti before adding vegetables in order to retain their crunchiness. Mixing with chopsticks is kept to a minimum to avoid making the dish sticky. Instead, Takahashi vigorously shakes the frying pan.

She uses ketchup and okonomiyaki sauce for flavour.

"The rich taste works just right when mixed with the eggs. It's a nostalgic taste," said a 53-year-old male office worker from the city dining at the restaurant.

Seeing the customers devour the dish, Takahashi said she can't leave the cooking to anyone else, since her customers expect her special seasoning.

She is said to have insisted on taking care of the breakfast specials, too, served from 8 a.m. She starts early in the morning with her eldest son, Yoshihiko, 66, New Linden's second-generation owner.

She also toasts bread and arranges freshly cut fruit on plates on the counter. Together with greeting regulars when they come in, Takahashi barely has time to catch her breath.

"She says things like, 'It's so tough [to work like this every day],' or 'I wonder how long I can keep going.' But she always works hard anyway," Yoshihiko said, speaking fondly of his mother.

Takahashi married Tsuyoshi, who had been a wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) confectioner, when she was 21. They opened the cafe in 1969 at the suggestion of a relative who ran a coffee shop. Takahashi said the couple, with their three children, had no cafe experience until then.

"I only tried coffee for the first time after we opened the cafe. I said it was bitter," Takahashi said with a smile.

New Linden opened in the middle of Japan's period of rapid economic growth. As industrialization progressed, factories were built in nearby coastal areas. Where there had once been fields and rice paddies, company dormitories were constructed.

"For the first two years, we worked from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. without a break every day," she recalled, adding the cafe was always bustling with men coming in after work or night shifts at nearby plants, which also were operating at full steam.

"Those men would take me out to play instead of my busy parents," said Yoshihiko, who was young at the time.

Ten years after its opening, the cafe was expanded to its current structure. The family continued to work hard to pay off their debt to the bank, Takahashi said.

Takahashi said her husband was particular about the special exterior of the cafe as well as the interior's antique-style furnishings, which have not changed since its opening. Old-fashioned items like pudding a la mode and cream soda are also still served.

These remnants of the Showa era (1926-89) began to garner attention on social media after the COVID-19 pandemic, attracting young customers. "The food is delicious, and the lighting and retro interior are great," said Isamu Terakado, a 19-year-old university student from Okayama, while taking photos at the cafe.

Tsuyoshi, who provided many customers from office workers to local residents with a place to eat and relax, died in 2019 at the age of 90. "He was a strict man, but I miss him," Takahashi said. Despite being depressed for a time, it was thanks to the cafe she was able to look forward again.

"I think I can't stay still," Takahashi said bashfully. She is prepared to keep cooking for customers at the "castle" she built with her family.

Among New Linden's popular items is the classic pudding a la mode, priced at 750 yen.

About 10 different kinds of fruit, such as strawberries, apples and oranges, are chosen depending on the season. Each fruit is cut into bite-sized pieces and decorative shapes. So many of the pieces are arranged on a long glass dish with ice cream that Yoshihiko's own pudding placed in the center is barely visible.

Since making it takes time, the dessert is only available on weekdays. If ordered during lunchtime, it will take longer to prepare, so it is recommended to order it later.