Still a great series, but this volume loses a little steam for me as Soma competes against one of his least impressive foes in bento boxes. The cliffhanger lacks drama as the outcome seems easily predictable.

The side story at the end offers little beyond putting much of the female cast into swimsuits. This is disappointing as the fan service usually serves as a hot spice accenting the main story instead of being the point of the story.

The interlude in the main story of Soma and Megumi subbing at a cooking school is charming and helps keep the rating of this volume high. ( )

The preliminary rounds of the Fall Classic are coming to a close as Akira Hayama and Soma Yukihira present their dishes. Obviously, Soma's going to make it past the prelims (it'd be boring otherwise) but the big question is will he best Hayama at in a curry challenge?

Plus, an adorable fluff chapter right after the results and a side story to make sure the volume ends on a cliffhanger. BE PREPARED FOR THE FAN SERVICE! ( )