This manga is top notch right up until it completely jumps the shark at around chapter ~126.
It went from a refreshingly "real" feeling series into one with plotlines so ridiculous and contrived that you can't help but laugh out loud. Seriously, bringing in
the fucking italian mob for a life or death "cooking battle"?
The ridiculous tone shift gave me whiplash. Just cut out the entire NYC arc, and this would have been a very solid manga.
That said, everything up until that point was very good and is worth a read.