Ep 6. Cabbage Rolls

Midnight Diner is a Japanese TV show that depicts the daily life of a small diner in Tokyo, which is open only from midnight to 7 am. Each episode of the show features a different dish that is often requested by the patrons of the diner and revolves around the lives of its regular customers and how their stories get entwined with the tradition and food.

In season 3 episode 6, named Cabbage Rolls, the focus is on a young couple, Yasuko, and Tadao, who visit the diner regularly. Yasuko is a struggling actress and Tadao is a construction worker obsessed with baseball. The episode explores their love story and how their differences and struggles affect their relationship.

The episode begins with Tadao discussing his favorite baseball team with the diner’s owner, Master. Soon after, Yasuko arrives, and Tadao tries to impress her with his knowledge of baseball, but she is not interested. As the night progresses, Yasuko expresses her dissatisfaction with her acting career and how she is not getting any roles. She even considers quitting her dream and leaving Tokyo. Tadao tries to cheer her up by offering her some cabbage rolls from home. Yasuko is hesitant at first, but soon realizes that she has never tasted anything like it before and asks Tadao to teach her how to cook them.

On their next visit to the diner, Yasuko surprises Tadao with her cabbage roll recipe. Tadao is happy that Yasuko is taking an interest in his passion for cooking. As they enjoy their meal, Tadao expresses his concern about paying for their upcoming wedding. Yasuko dismisses his concerns and says that they will manage somehow. Later that night, Yasuko receives a phone call from her agent, informing her that she has been offered a small role in a TV drama. Yasuko is ecstatic and cannot contain her happiness. She immediately calls Tadao to tell him the news, but he is at work and cannot answer the phone. She decides to visit him at his construction site and share the good news.

On her way to meet Tadao, Yasuko stops by the diner and gives Master a serving of her cabbage rolls, which he promptly shares with his other patrons. As Yasuko leaves, the customers discuss how good the cabbage rolls were and how they remind them of their childhood. Later that night, Tadao and Yasuko share their happiness over a plate of cabbage rolls. Tadao confesses to Yasuko that he learned how to make cabbage rolls from his mother, who passed away when he was young. He tells Yasuko that every time he makes cabbage rolls, he feels connected to his mother, and that is why he loves cooking.

The episode ends with Tadao and Yasuko getting married at the diner, with Master officiating the ceremony and the patrons of the diner as their witnesses. The episode closes with Yasuko and Tadao sharing a plate of cabbage rolls and expressing their love for each other.

In conclusion, Midnight Diner season 3 episode 6, Cabbage Rolls, is a heartwarming episode that explores the themes of love, passion, and perseverance. It highlights the importance of tradition, family, and community in a modern-day Tokyo, and how food can bring people together, and revive memories of the past. The episode showcases the cultural richness of Japanese cuisine and how it can inspire and ignite love and hope in the most romantic and unexpected ways.