'O-bento' -- the food chain in a box

Hachiko · Mar 1, 2004, 12:33

I've eaten "o-bento" before, when I visited the Bay Area a few years back. It's pretty good, and satisfying, most definitely. Here's a good, fun article on the lunch box.

You know you've turned Japanese when you can eat everything in your "o-bento." Especially if it's a funeral o-bento, built to last for three days, like the one I received recently at a "hojii" ceremony, which are like followup funerals. Today, I invite you to a grazing session through my o-bento.
First, we open the o-bento box, which looks much like a square briefcase. Personally, I wish o-bentos really were served in briefcases so you could leave the lid up for privacy while hovering with chopsticks in hand, picking through your food while wondering, "What the hell is this?"

Japan Times

budd · Mar 1, 2004, 14:17

i read this, thanks

Hachiko · Mar 1, 2004, 14:23

Off the deep end, but I should have placed this in the Food & Recipes section...

kirei_na_me · Mar 2, 2004, 03:10

Moved to its new home...

Hachiko · Mar 2, 2004, 03:31

Originally Posted by kirei_na_me

Moved to its new home...

Point well taken. Thanks, kirei.

kirei_na_me · Mar 2, 2004, 03:35

No problem, Hachiko.

By the way, I have recently been interested in 'ekiben', or the 'train station lunchbox'.

Hachiko · Mar 2, 2004, 07:55

That's essentially a bento made for the trains and shinkansen, right? How much is it over there, in terms of type and variety?

Haivart · Mar 2, 2004, 09:19

My favorite is the makunouchi bento--I never know what I'm getting. But it's always good.

bezz · Mar 2, 2004, 13:38

Benmatsu is one of the oldest bento shops, since 1850.

Recent trend is the uber-bento (･2000 or so) by famous restaurants like Minokichi, Yaozen, Nadaman, Shimogamo-Saryo, etc. available at department stores in large cities.

OTOH they say that this one is the absolute worst...

Hachiko · Mar 2, 2004, 14:06

The first link...tasty... *drools*

The second link...nothing like the real thing.

bezz · Mar 4, 2004, 11:24

JinJapan has a nice ekiben article...

Originally Posted by Hachiko

That's essentially a bento made for the trains and shinkansen, right? How much is it over there, in terms of type and variety?

This is a clickable map of ekiben; many of them feature the local specialities.
My favorite is Siumai Bento at Yokohama station...

峠の釜めし

Hachiko · Mar 4, 2004, 11:47

Originally Posted by bezz

JinJapan has a nice ekiben article...

This is a clickable map of ekiben; many of them feature the local specialities.
My favorite is Siumai Bento at Yokohama station...

峠の釜めし

ooooh, tasty...thanks for the links.

BigBossIchi · Mar 6, 2004, 02:14

Originally Posted by Hachiko

I've eaten "o-bento" before, when I visited the Bay Area a few years back. It's pretty good, and satisfying, most definitely. Here's a good, fun article on the lunch box.

Japan Times

Is there somewhere in Canada, Toronto area that sell "o-bento" or even somewhere online that would ship within Canada etc.?

Dindrane · Mar 30, 2004, 14:16

This is sorta off topic, but a Japanese restaurant near me offers a fantastic lunch bento-box special; it's only $5.95 and includes miso soup. I always love everything in it, even if I don't know what it is.

Every day is chef's choice, but there's usually some salad, a chicken dish, some glass noodles, maybe some potato salad.... Excellent.

And yeah, I'm strongly enamored of the little compartments.

divide-zero · Apr 2, 2004, 01:46

I have to say that my favourite Japanese fast food is the bento
some of my favourites are:
cheese burger bento
taco rice bento
goya chanpuru bento

the potato salad that comes with them is the best

http://www.hokkahokkatei.com/ <- big bento chain

TwistedMac · Apr 2, 2004, 20:55

...eeeew, that green stuff doesn't look like it should be eaten =X

bezz · Apr 3, 2004, 01:05

Originally Posted by TwistedMac

...eeeew, that green stuff doesn't look like it should be eaten =X

That's probably perilla leaf tempura, nice&crisp.

The ten-don bento by Ginza Ten-Ichi (available at department stores in Tokyo) looks very nice.

銀座天一天丼弁当 (･1000)

I'm pretty sure that other tempura restaurant chains such as Tsunahachi and Hageten have tendon-to-go lunch menu too.

bezz · Apr 5, 2004, 08:52

Originally Posted by bezz

JinJapan has a nice ekiben article...

The article was recently moved to a new location. The site has a very nice summary on bento in general too.

**playaa** · Apr 5, 2004, 23:19

Very nice article, I must try one of these!

Maciamo · Apr 5, 2004, 23:33

I love traditional bento. My favorite so far are the "maku-no-uchi bento"　幕の内弁当, with plenty of different stuff. I've come to like "saba" 鯖 (mackerel) with miso so much I can't have enough of it. Strange, as I didn't like so much fried fish even a year ago. My other favorites inside the maku-no-uchi are the cooked "daikon" 大根 and the "kouya doufu" 高野豆腐 (the sponge-like one that Buddhist monk eat).

bezz · Apr 6, 2004, 01:37

Originally Posted by Haivart

My favorite is the makunouchi bento--I never know what I'm getting. But it's always good.

Originally Posted by Maciamo

I love traditional bento. My favorite so far are the "maku-no-uchi bento"　幕の内弁当, with plenty of different stuff.

I heard that 幕の内弁当 MUST have grilled fish fillet, kamaboko (fish cake slice) and tamago-yaki (omelette roll slice.) Interesting.

Makunouchi bento at Kabuki-za

Haivart · Apr 6, 2004, 08:58

Makunouchi bento? funny you should mention it since I had one yesterday evening. Let's see: piece of grilled salmon, tempura squid legs, fish cake, shumai, slice of pumpkin, what tastes like a daikon/carrot/tofu salad, sweet omelet, some thin slice of meat rolled around green onions, a ball made from some good tasting root veggie, and pickled(?) garlic cloves. Very nice.

bossel · Apr 6, 2004, 09:21

Looks tasty. Will try to find some of this here in Duesseldorf, Germany. Hope, it's not too expensive.

bezz · May 23, 2004, 02:33

This is a nice article on picnic bento.

Various koraku bento sold at department store basements, much better than cheap, not-so-real ones.

Lina Inverse · May 23, 2004, 05:50

I've already frequently seen bento in several series, generally made by a girl to show her appreciation for a boy.
It will generally contain stuff like rice balls and radish decorated to look like little squids and such. Of course that's no comparison to the stuff they offer in supermarkets.

Mar 1, 2004, 12:33	#1
Hachiko The Akita Join Date: Jan 17, 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,377	'O-bento' -- the food chain in a box I've eaten "o-bento" before, when I visited the Bay Area a few years back. It's pretty good, and satisfying, most definitely. Here's a good, fun article on the lunch box. You know you've turned Japanese when you can eat everything in your "o-bento." Especially if it's a funeral o-bento, built to last for three days, like the one I received recently at a "hojii" ceremony, which are like followup funerals. Today, I invite you to a grazing session through my o-bento. First, we open the o-bento box, which looks much like a square briefcase. Personally, I wish o-bentos really were served in briefcases so you could leave the lid up for privacy while hovering with chopsticks in hand, picking through your food while wondering, "What the hell is this?" Japan Times __________________

Mar 2, 2004, 03:10	#4
kirei_na_me Where I'm Supposed to Be Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 3,922	Moved to its new home... __________________ *i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)*

Mar 2, 2004, 03:31	#5
Hachiko The Akita Join Date: Jan 17, 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,377	Originally Posted by kirei_na_me Moved to its new home... Point well taken. Thanks, kirei.

Mar 2, 2004, 13:38	#9
bezz Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2, 2003 Posts: 397	Links Benmatsu is one of the oldest bento shops, since 1850. Recent trend is the uber-bento (･2000 or so) by famous restaurants like Minokichi, Yaozen, Nadaman, Shimogamo-Saryo, etc. available at department stores in large cities. OTOH they say that this one is the absolute worst... Last edited by bezz; Mar 3, 2004 at 03:53.

Mar 4, 2004, 11:24	#11
bezz Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2, 2003 Posts: 397	Ekiben JinJapan has a nice ekiben article... Originally Posted by Hachiko That's essentially a bento made for the trains and shinkansen, right? How much is it over there, in terms of type and variety? This is a clickable map of ekiben; many of them feature the local specialities. My favorite is Siumai Bento at Yokohama station... 峠の釜めし

Mar 1, 2004, 14:17	#2
budd __________ Join Date: Jul 10, 2003 Posts: 1,972	i read this, thanks

Mar 1, 2004, 14:23	#3
Hachiko The Akita Join Date: Jan 17, 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,377	Off the deep end, but I should have placed this in the Food & Recipes section...

Mar 2, 2004, 03:35	#6
kirei_na_me Where I'm Supposed to Be Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 3,922	No problem, Hachiko. By the way, I have recently been interested in 'ekiben', or the 'train station lunchbox'.

Mar 2, 2004, 07:55	#7
Hachiko The Akita Join Date: Jan 17, 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,377	That's essentially a bento made for the trains and shinkansen, right? How much is it over there, in terms of type and variety?

Mar 2, 2004, 09:19	#8
Haivart Regular Member Join Date: Dec 15, 2002 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 139	My favorite is the makunouchi bento--I never know what I'm getting. But it's always good.

Mar 2, 2004, 14:06	#10
Hachiko The Akita Join Date: Jan 17, 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,377	The first link...tasty... drools The second link...nothing like the real thing.

Mar 4, 2004, 11:47	#12
Hachiko The Akita Join Date: Jan 17, 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,377	Originally Posted by bezz JinJapan has a nice ekiben article... This is a clickable map of ekiben; many of them feature the local specialities. My favorite is Siumai Bento at Yokohama station... 峠の釜めし ooooh, tasty...thanks for the links.

Mar 6, 2004, 02:14	#13
BigBossIchi Asahi Drinker Join Date: Feb 3, 2004 Location: Canada Age: 40 Posts: 110	Originally Posted by Hachiko I've eaten "o-bento" before, when I visited the Bay Area a few years back. It's pretty good, and satisfying, most definitely. Here's a good, fun article on the lunch box. Japan Times Is there somewhere in Canada, Toronto area that sell "o-bento" or even somewhere online that would ship within Canada etc.? __________________ Cinema From Around the World....Especially Japan! www.cinema-nocturna.com

Mar 30, 2004, 14:16	#14
Dindrane Junior Member Join Date: Nov 20, 2003 Location: USA Posts: 12	This is sorta off topic, but a Japanese restaurant near me offers a fantastic lunch bento-box special; it's only $5.95 and includes miso soup. I always love everything in it, even if I don't know what it is. Every day is chef's choice, but there's usually some salad, a chicken dish, some glass noodles, maybe some potato salad.... Excellent. And yeah, I'm strongly enamored of the little compartments.

Apr 2, 2004, 01:46	#15
divide-zero Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2, 2004 Posts: 1	I have to say that my favourite Japanese fast food is the bento some of my favourites are: cheese burger bento taco rice bento goya chanpuru bento the potato salad that comes with them is the best http://www.hokkahokkatei.com/ <- big bento chain

Apr 2, 2004, 20:55	#16
TwistedMac 夜露死苦! Join Date: Mar 4, 2004 Location: orz.eu Age: 27 Posts: 2,044	...eeeew, that green stuff doesn't look like it should be eaten =X __________________ 夜露死苦! www.orz.eu I find affence at your post as I ware eyeglass and have lmited site. Sankyuu~! http://japan.orz.eu - A site for my trip to Japan.

Apr 3, 2004, 01:05	#17
bezz Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2, 2003 Posts: 397	天丼 Originally Posted by TwistedMac ...eeeew, that green stuff doesn't look like it should be eaten =X That's probably perilla leaf tempura, nice&crisp. The ten-don bento by Ginza Ten-Ichi (available at department stores in Tokyo) looks very nice. 銀座天一天丼弁当 (･1000) I'm pretty sure that other tempura restaurant chains such as Tsunahachi and Hageten have tendon-to-go lunch menu too. Last edited by bezz; Apr 3, 2004 at 20:59.

Apr 5, 2004, 08:52	#18
bezz Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2, 2003 Posts: 397	Originally Posted by bezz JinJapan has a nice ekiben article... The article was recently moved to a new location. The site has a very nice summary on bento in general too.

Apr 5, 2004, 23:19	#19
playaa Dog Youkai Join Date: Jan 15, 2004 Location: Clovis, CA Age: 25 Posts: 774	Very nice article, I must try one of these! __________________ "Kanpeki to chau, jinsei no shuushi Puramai zero da nanteba honto ka na? Shinu made ni tsukaikiru, un no kazu Semete, jibun de dashiire wo sasete "

Apr 5, 2004, 23:33	#20
Maciamo Decommissioned ex-admin Join Date: Jul 17, 2002 Location: Austrasia Posts: 6,647	I love traditional bento. My favorite so far are the "maku-no-uchi bento"　幕の内弁当, with plenty of different stuff. I've come to like "saba" 鯖 (mackerel) with miso so much I can't have enough of it. Strange, as I didn't like so much fried fish even a year ago. My other favorites inside the maku-no-uchi are the cooked "daikon" 大根 and the "kouya doufu" 高野豆腐 (the sponge-like one that Buddhist monk eat). __________________ Over 100 destinations in the Japan Sightseeing Guide + detailed Tokyo Guide and Kyoto Guide Eupedia : Your Guide to Europe in English Read the "Maciamo FAQ" "What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?", Winston Churchill.

Apr 6, 2004, 01:37	#21
bezz Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2, 2003 Posts: 397	Originally Posted by Haivart My favorite is the makunouchi bento--I never know what I'm getting. But it's always good. Originally Posted by Maciamo I love traditional bento. My favorite so far are the "maku-no-uchi bento"　幕の内弁当, with plenty of different stuff. I heard that 幕の内弁当 MUST have grilled fish fillet, kamaboko (fish cake slice) and tamago-yaki (omelette roll slice.) Interesting. Makunouchi bento at Kabuki-za

Apr 6, 2004, 08:58	#22
Haivart Regular Member Join Date: Dec 15, 2002 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 139	Makunouchi bento? funny you should mention it since I had one yesterday evening. Let's see: piece of grilled salmon, tempura squid legs, fish cake, shumai, slice of pumpkin, what tastes like a daikon/carrot/tofu salad, sweet omelet, some thin slice of meat rolled around green onions, a ball made from some good tasting root veggie, and pickled(?) garlic cloves. Very nice.

Apr 6, 2004, 09:21	#23
bossel Regular Member Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: germany Posts: 1,655	Looks tasty. Will try to find some of this here in Duesseldorf, Germany. Hope, it's not too expensive.

May 23, 2004, 02:33	#24
bezz Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2, 2003 Posts: 397	行楽弁当 This is a nice article on picnic bento. Various koraku bento sold at department store basements, much better than cheap, not-so-real ones. Last edited by bezz; May 24, 2004 at 01:33.

May 23, 2004, 05:50	#25
Lina Inverse Hentai Koutaishi Join Date: Apr 29, 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 1,141	I've already frequently seen bento in several series, generally made by a girl to show her appreciation for a boy. It will generally contain stuff like rice balls and radish decorated to look like little squids and such. Of course that's no comparison to the stuff they offer in supermarkets. __________________ Try out the new style!

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