I choose to watch Lunch Queen in honor of the passing of Takeuchi Yuko this year. I needed to watch a drama of hers to remember her of her great works and not think of the sad side of this.

Story: I think the plot of this story is kind of weird/dumb but great in the same way. I wasn't a fan of having Natsumi faking that she was the fiancé to their older brother throughout the show because they wouldn't make a move on her so I thought. I think they could have made the plot work as well if she just worked their as her job instead of faking as their brothers fiance. The show is about a woman who has had a rough life before but changes and cherishes the best days of her life as she works in a restaurant. It also teaches you about how wonderful one's food can change a person. Most people would watch for to see who Natsumi ends up with (romance), but the show leans more towards food, drama, and family.
At first I looked at it as Natsumi being a sister like character to the family but over time the two brothers Yujiro and Junzaburo fall in love with her. These two are really the only ones that really show they like her. By the end of the drama, the romance genre has been applied but I think they should have went all in on it. They really play with your mind on the last episode by having Natsumi not ending up with one. At first I thought she should end up with Junzaburo because he liked her first but then they decided to make Yujiro slowly like her as well as Natsumi seemed to like Yujiro more. It would have made sense for Junzaburo and Natsumi to be together because then Yujiro would be the man and letting it go but if Yujiro ended up with Natsumi, as shown Junzaburo couldn't get over her. It would be awkward to see the girl you loved everyday in your place where you work who is now your brothers wife. Maybe they ran into a dead end so they ended with her not end up with one.

Acting/Cast: First thing that impresses me of this drama is the loaded and I mean loaded cast. This drama was made back in 2002 and these names weren't as popular as today. Your main casts consist of Takeuchi Yuko, Eguchi Yosuke, Tsumabuki Satoshi, Yamapi, and throw in Yamada Takuyuki. This drama might have been the start of these young actors careers into popularity in the acting industry. Eguchi might have been a known name by this time but still this drama was a great role for him that is amazing. I really liked Yuko's character here as it is more of a tomboyish. She has shorter hair and has strong skills such as fighting skills. The trio of Eguchi, Satoshi, and Yamapi as brothers were my favorite part of the drama. Eguchi really nails the role as a father/older brother figure.

Music: The ending song is an american song which can be rare for Japanese dramas. It suits the fun comedy style of the show. The drama has a nice emotional insert song called Morihana Shojo Hajashi by Inoue Yousui. It really makes you think back and reflect.

Re watch value: I love the cast of the drama. I would re watch this drama for the cast and their interactions with one another.

Overall: I would have given it a 10 if they gave a ending to who Natsumi ends up with instead of that. Putting aside the romance aspect of the show, it is worth a watch. Watch it for the simple plot or for the cast.