Interview with RACCO, owner of Noraneko Shokudo Mabi Branch
How Noraneko Shokudo came to open a new location in Mabi
Could you tell us how you came to open Noraneko Shokudo in Mabi?
RACCO
After the heavy rains of July 2018, I initially went around providing meals at evacuation shelters in the Okada, Nima, and Sono districts of Mabi.
I heard that there was no evacuation shelter in the Kawabe district and that many people had gathered at Kawabe Elementary School. We were asked to provide meals, and from then on, we generally served meals at the school.
As we continued serving meals in one place, we had more opportunities to interact with people from the Kawabe Reconstruction Project Aruku and local residents.
That’s when I heard people say, “There’s nowhere to work” and “There’s nowhere for the tradespeople to get a meal.” That was the catalyst.
Around that time, people also started saying, “Couldn’t you start charging us instead of providing meals for free?”
I suggested opening a restaurant in Mabi. I thought that if the money customers paid could become wages for local people working at the restaurant, it could help solve the problem.
The origin of the Noraneko Shokudo Mabi Branch name
Could you tell us how you came up with the restaurant’s name?
RACCO
It comes from the name of my company, “Noraneko Shokai Co., Ltd.”
The company mainly handles event stalls, catering services, the manufacture and sale of apparel and fashion accessories, and disaster relief projects.
I guess “the distinctive, unpretentious cuteness of stray cats” suits my personality. Well, there’s no particularly deep meaning to it.
I added “Mabi Branch” because we were opening in Mabi, and I thought it would be good to include Mabi in the name.
I was also aiming for overseas expansion down the road. Just kidding, though. (Laughs.)
Creating a restaurant that feels at home in Mabi
Noraneko Shokudo has seasonal dishes, like cold noodles in summer and oden in winter. Could you tell us about your recommended dishes and what you focus on at the restaurant?
RACCO
Actually, we don’t put a lot of effort into the menu or the flavors. We’re aiming for food that tastes just right for a company cafeteria, you could say.
It’s a small town, so we want to do our best to meet customers’ requests for “something they’d like to eat.”
It would be nice if we could become a restaurant that fits in with the town, responding to what our customers here actually tell us.
“Meshi-tori Monogatari,” a prepared-food miso that could become a Mabi specialty
How did “Meshi-tori Monogatari,” made with bamboo shoots grown in Mabi, come about?
RACCO
As reconstruction progressed, the number of tradespeople working to rebuild Mabi decreased. Of course, we expected that this would lead to a drop in the restaurant’s sales.
We created “Meshi-tori Monogatari” to secure sales beyond dine-in customers and to let people outside Mabi enjoy a specialty from Mabi, which had been affected by the disaster.
In spring 2020, we began selling it at our sister restaurant, “RACCOS BURGER,” and started selling it online. We’re currently discussing the possibility of selling it at roadside stations as well.
The future of Noraneko Shokudo
It’s been exactly a year since you opened in August 2019. How do you feel about this past year?
RACCO
When we closed for about a month, from late April to mid-May 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we heard local customers say, “It’s a problem when the restaurant isn’t open.”
I was happy to feel that our presence as a restaurant in Mabi had meaning.
What are your plans for Noraneko Shokudo going forward?
RACCO
Basically, I think we’ll leave if there’s no longer a reason for us to be here. Of course, as long as people want us to continue, we’ll work to make the numbers add up so we can stay open.
When the time is right, I’d like to offer a wider variety of dinner options.
We’re not a restaurant with any particular specialty, but please feel free to relax and take your time here.
From the Writer
Noraneko Shokudo is a welcoming restaurant where you can enjoy a nostalgic Showa-era atmosphere. It is quietly becoming part of the community in Mabi.
If you haven’t been yet, why not casually step through the noren?
There’s plenty to love, including the friendly staff and set meals with free refills of rice, along with snacks that go perfectly with drinks.
Noraneko Shokudo’s “just right” feel has become addictive for me, too—I visit every month.
I hope it becomes a restaurant that is loved in Mabi for many years to come.
Noraneko Shokudo Mabi Branch details
| Name | Noraneko Shokudo Mabi Branch |
|---|---|
| Address | 946-2 Kawabe, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-454-8865 |
| Parking | Available |
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. (Fridays and Saturdays only) |
| Closed | Sunday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seating | Counter seats: 8 Four-person tables: 2 |
| Smoking | Smoking permitted |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Noraneko Shokudo Mabi Branch (Instagram) |
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