Category Archives: Bento

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/35): Shiira Bento!

June 24, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

“Shiira/シイラ” is the Japanese name for Mahi-mahi, Dorado,or Common dolphinfish!

It is a very popular and reasonably-priced fish in Japan you can eat in all manners. This particular one came from Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku Island although they are also caught of our shores in Shizuoka!

This time the Missus kept things simple with the rice.
After steaming it she mixed it with some finely chopped carrot and parsely and topped it with broken walnuts.

She strived for balance in nutrients as well in colors for the “side dish”!

Having cut the fillets of shiira into proper-size bits she took off the small bones with pincers before covering the pieces of fish with flour, seasoning, egg and panko and shallow frying (fried in shallow oil, not deep) them.
She added lemon for more seasoning and color and plenty of lettuce for the fibers and vitamin C!

For the “garnish”, she placed her favorite half-boiled egg decorated with black olive, boiled broccoli on a small bed of tartare sauce, French cornichons and tomatoes (the latter for dessert!).

Very tasty, but a little short of satisfaction (I guess the Missus is significantly reducing the calories!)!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/34): Alien Chicken Faces Bento!

June 21, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Now, what made me call this bento, Alien Chicken Faces Bento?
The Missus is going to kill me for publishing such a title LOL
Mind you, I can always plead the sudden rise in temperatures as a good excuse!

Anyway, the rice first:
The Missus steamed it with a dash of soy sauce and dashi/soupstock added to the water.
Once steamed she mixed it with boiled black beans.

She added home-pickles mini-melons for fibers and vinegar.
These mini-melons mainly come from the musk melon farmes in the area of Fukuroi City who have to pare down their plants. A good way to avoid waste and turn a reject into gastronomy!

Now, for the accompaniment box:
Can you see the alien faces peeking out?

The Missus made her usual pickle corner with home-pickled cucumber mixed with seaweed (wakame) and umeboshi pulp with a little more ponzu!
Very appreciated on hot days!

Now, do you agree they look alien?
The Missus did work hard to conceive them with sasami/Chicken breast fillets she had first flattened before rolling them around boiled carrots strips and stringbeans and stir-fry them together.
She added plenty of local lettuce and small plum tomatoes for fibers and vitamins!

The dessert added plenty of colors with pineapple and redcurrants from our balcony garden (the redcurrants, not the pineapple!)!

Very colorful and summerlike bento! Very satisfying and yummy!
Loved those alien faces…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, Gastronomy, Hamamatsu City, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism, 弁当, 浜松市

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Kenkadako/Fighting Kites

June 20, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

　　
On my way to work today I decided to stop at Kakegawa JR Station and sample my first ekiben sold in that station!
The name “Kenkadako/喧嘩凧/ means fighting kites ( the playthings, not the birds), another name given to the Hamamatsu Festival.

The same ekiben is sold at Hamamatsu and Kakegawa JR Stations where the Shinkansen/Bullet Train stops by Jishotei co./自笑亭株式会社.

A wet towel and chopsticks are graciously provided with the name of the company.

The box cover would definitely be a must-get collector’s item for the ekiben fan!

All the different designs are real emblems of family kites seen in the air (they are truly enormous!)!
Have a look HERE for a great picture collection of the event!

Like any other worthy company, Jishotei Co. clearly indicates the contents of the box!

One more paper towel is provided while the contents are well protected by an extra transparent hard sheet of paper.

Now, what do we have there?

Plain steamed rice with black sesame seeds.

Wasabi Zuke/wasabi stems and leaves pickled in sake white lees to accompany the rice and red pickled cucumber.
Curried chicken (popular anywhere, isn’t it?).

Nikudango/肉団子/ Meat ball made with minced chicken and onions.
Unagi Dani/鰻田煮/broiled eel. Eels are a famous product from Western Shizuoka Prefecture!

Hijikini/ひじき煮/simmered hijiki sweet seaweed with soy beans.
Niwatori no Karage/鶏の唐揚/deep-fried chicken.

Ebifrai/海老フライ/deep-fried shrimp.
Yakisaba/焼鯖/grilled mackerel.
Bottle of soy sauce.

The tidbits:
From left to right, bottom to top:
Simmered shiitake mushroom, ikadango/イカ団子/steamed cuttlefish paste ball, two kinds of colored (green and gray) balls of konnyaku/蒟蒻/elephant’s foot tuber, boiled satoimo/里芋/taro, simmered sweet kuri/栗/chestnut and ninjin/人参/carrot.

Very satisfying and so intriguing! And yummy!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, 駅弁, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Shizuoka Furusato Bento

June 18, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Been in a bit of a hurry today and couldn’t prepare any schedule or meal.
I decided to visit the ekiben stand in Shizuoka City JR Railway Station for the first time in 3 weeks!

There I acquired an ekiben I had been wanting to sample for some time: Furusato Bento/Home Town (Home Country) Bento!

The wrapping paper ia almost a collector’s item showing the main agricultural products of our Prefecture! Can you see them?

Shizuoka Prefecture is most famous in Japan not only for Mount Fuji, but also for its green tea, oranges, strawberries and musk melons!

As usual, Tokaiken Co. had clearly stated the ingredients on its wrapper!

The food was well protected by the hard transparent paper cover. A hand towel was also provided. Good hygiene!

Now, what do we have here?

The rice was steamed with the juices of the Katsuo kakuni/鰹角煮/Simmered bonito, another typical product of Shizuoka Prefecture and a preserved chestnut.

Plenty to accompany the rice!

Simmered and boiled vegetables: Boiled carrot. Boiled taro/sato imo and cut in the shape of a mushroom! String bean. Konbu maki/simmered seaweed roll. Bamboo shoot. Fuki/蕗/giant butterbur.

Boiled shrimp, small bottle of soy sauce, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette, lettuce and another specialty of Shizuoka: sakuraebi kakiage/Cherry shrimps tempura!

And one more specialty from Shizuoka: pickled wasabi stems and leaves!

And for dessert, a fruit from Shizuoka: Orange!

This ekiben was well-balanced with no meat but only seafood, eggs and vegetables, but was still very tasty and fulfilling!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Bento, 美食, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/33): Dry Curry & Meat Balls Bento

June 15, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Dry curry is a very popular way of preparing curried rice in Japan!
Actually, there is nothing dry about it, only a “Japlish” expression!

The Missus, like most Japanese, loves curry, but more the Japanese style than anything else.
This means curry will be mild, even sweet.
You would be surprised how many shops serve curry in Japan, from Tonkatsu Curry to Curry Udon!

Anyway the Missus, after steaming the rice, mixed in curry mix powder and curry paste while the rice was hot.
She filled the main box with it and topped it with a few raisins.

I was not allowed inside the kitchen (even in the bigger one in our new apartment!) while she prepared the meat balls! All she would tell me is that they were made with pork and beef minced meat, cheese and parsley!
I must admit she makes great balls! (No pun meant!)
She added Shizuoka-grown celery for more fibers and vitamins!

The salad and dessert (she did not forget the latter!) box consisted of home-pickled mini melons and carrots, a semi-boiled egg topped with black sesame seeds, lettuce and beautiful Japanese cherries from Nagano Prefecture ( a present from a student!)!

Plenty of colors again, very satisfying (I was very busy physically today) and yummy!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 野菜, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/32): Nokorimono Bento!

June 14, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

The Missus is still very busy settling around in around our new appartment.
So, when she asked: “Do you want a bento today?”
I replied: “Yes, if possible!”
To which she commented” In this case, “nokorimono no bento” today!
“Nokorimono” means “leftovers (or what’s ever left in the fridge)!

Plenty of vegetables as you can see, and all locally grown.
After steaming the rice she prepared burdock roots/gobou/牛蒡 in “kinpira” style. She fried some red and green peppers in olive oil and wasabi dressing and black sesame seeds.
The okra served raw with katsuobushi/dry bonito shavings/鰹節.
She then topped the rice with the three of them.
When I ate from that box, I mixed the whole a bit beforehand.

As for the side dish, she first boiled local white and yellow potatoes and then fried them with a tin of yakitori!
She added boiled morokko ingen/モロッコいんげん, a large variety of string beans (these are usually grown for their beans, but the Japanese like them young) knotted for design and some pearl tomatoes!

Very healthy and yummy leftovers, but where was my dessert? LOL

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 美食, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/32): Italian Sushi Roll bento!

June 8, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

The Missus, getting more and more used to her new kitchen (same size, but more open and practical) went into sushi mode today!
As said yesterday, nothing really complicated yet, but some of my favorites creeping back into the recipe!

I called these sushi rolls “Italian” for the simple reason that they are wrapped in Trevise!
The Missus first prepared sushi rice and added some black sesame seeds to it.
She then made the rolls with freshly chopped avocado, walnuts, and “kanikama/surimi” and finally wrapped them in Trevise cabbage leaves.
The home-made pickles are mini-melons coming from local musk melon farms to which she added her own pickled Japanese pepper/sanshyou.
The taste of the latter is very zippy!

Now, for the side dish:
My favorite, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette containing boiled black beans!
Home-pickled cucumber and mini tomatoes salad.
Yellow kiwi fruit (dessert!).
Celeri leaves.

Once again vey nourishing and colorful!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/31): New Home Bento!

June 7, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Due to our moving to a new home just completed the Missus simply had not the time to make a bento for me for nearly a month!
Thus this is my first bento made in our new home!

The Missus kept everything simple this time. She said more complicated affairs will still have to wait!
After having steamed she rice she mixed it with her own pickled Japanese pepper seeds/sanshou/山椒 and added a “kinpira” of carrots and burdock roots/gobou/牛蒡 she had prepared last night. It certainly made for simple and nice colors.

The “side box/dish” also came in simple colors and healthy balance!

She deep-fried (actually shallow-fried) “tontoro/soft pork” cut into rough strips, not with breadcrumbs, but with karaage crumbs which are a lot finer. She placed them on a bed of Shizuoka-grown celery (our Prefecture grows half of the total Japanese crop!) and added a touch of color and balance with lemon pieces for seasoning and sweet pearl tomatoes for taste and vitamins!

She finally added her own pickled cucumber (with black sesame seeds) and boiled black beans (bought in a market).

If she plans to concoct something more complicated in the future I’m not going to complain! LOL

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Bento, Ekiben, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Travel

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Oogoshyo Bento

May 20, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Oogoshyo/大御所 stands for “Lord” or “Leading Figure” in Japanese.
Actually in this case it stands for the first Shogun of the Edo Era, Tokugawa Ieyasu who retired in Sumpu, presently called Shizuoka City!

The Ekiben as I bought it at Shizuoka JR Station today. They call it bento but it is a real ekiben sold inside the station!

The “mon” or Japanese arms/family crest (heraldry) is the mon of Tokugawa Ieayasu!

Clear explanations by Tokaiken Co as usual. I tend to repeat myself, but it shows how the laws are strict about bento and ekiben business in Japan, although the same cannot be said for all…

A piece of translucent paper protects the contents!

Remember that this ekiben was inspired by what a Lord of the Edo Era would eat at a normal repast (more or less…)
Now, what do we have?

I introduced this kind of rice in the previous ekiben.
It is called “sakura han/Cherry tree rice” and is covered with finely flaked tai/ 鯛/red grouper and the rice is a mazegohamn/rice mixed with the juices of the simmered fish.
Actually the whole rice in Japanese is called “tai soboro” and is made with two types of seabream called “madai” and “Himedai” and some egg.

“Sekihan赤飯/” or “red rice”. Red is a color for celebrations in Japan.
This sekihan is made with glutinous rice and azuki beans making for a thick, nourishing staple as served for unknown ages in this country.

Now to the side dish: prawn tempura, grilled mackerel, kamaboko/steamed fish paste, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette, chicken ball/niwatori dango and soy sauce “bottle”.

The same (clearer picture!) with the opened “capsule” of wasabizuke/wasabi stems and leaves pickled with sake white lees.

The dessert box with the wasabizuke “capsule”. The apricot and the “wagashi” were protected by an extra film of translucent paper.

The two types of wagashi: the one on the left is made with o-mochi/glutinous rice paste and sweetmeats/anko and the second one is a gli\utinous rice ball covered with kinako/soy bean powder.

To be continued…

Bento, Ekiben, 駅弁, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Tokusei Tai Meshi

May 18, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Red Seabream or tai/鯛 is considered a lucky fish in Japan and is served for all kinds of celebrations.
The fish itself can come quite expensive, especially when caught in deep water.
In Shizuoka we have both the wild and human-raised varieties and is not that expensive, except when served as himono/dried fish/干物！

We were busy today moving into another appartmenet downtown and we just did not have the time to cook lunch.
I just went to Shizuoka JR Station, 15 minutes away by bicycle and bought 8 of the above (six for the removal staff and two for us)!

Tokaiken Co. sells two versions, one normal and the other called “Tokusei Tai Meshi”/Special Red Seabream Rice.
I bought the latter as this was a special occasion!

Precise explanations of the contents as usual!

The design is quite retro and ancient. too. The picture comes from a real painting/litograph/wood plate of old!

Now, what do we have here?

A piece of simmered red seabream with its soft edible skin atop the rice.
The rice is covered with finely flaked red seabream flesh which had been lightly sweetened beforehand.

The rice again is a mazegihan type/steamed rice mixed with the juices of the simmered red seabream.
Very tasty indeed and no “fishy” background!

As for the side dish, once again: nimono/simmered items/煮物, carrot, lotus root, fuki/giant butterbur stems, burdock root, tofu cake, konnyaku/elephant foot tuber.

The Japanese would never have their ekiben or bento without some pickles!
In this case daikon in umeboshi juice and cucumber!

To be continued…

Bento, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/30): Wasabi Pork Sausage Bento!

May 10, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

Wasabi sausages!!??
Yes, they certainly exist!
These were conceived with the best pork you could find in Japan produced by Sanoman Company in Fujinomiya City. The wasabi of course is from Shizuoka Prefecture, that is, from a nearby wasabi field.
Actually, I went to Fujinomiya City yesterday to report on a grand BBQ organized by Sanoman Co. and I just couldn’t resist bringing back these sausages to the Missus!

The Missus just steamed plain rice before filling the box and sprinkling them with black roasted sesame seeds and adding some fresh ginger pickled in sweet vinegar.
As for the vegetables she prepared “kinpira” with burdock roots/gobo/牛蒡, local chili pepper and dry shredded cuttle-fish. She filled the other other half with hot Chinese-style sauteed eggplant and green pepper.

As for the side dish she prepared her specialty, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette and simply boiled and fried the sausages to which she added fresh celery.
The dessert was made of grapes and oranges wedges.

For a better view of the wasabi pork sausages!
A real delicatessen’s delicacy (the oxymoron of the day!)!
You must absolutely try them!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

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Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, 駅弁, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism, Travel, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Haru Chisen

May 8, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

About this time of the year Tokaiken Co. offers a seasonal ekiben at Shizuoka JR Station called “Haru Chisen/春千扇”, or “The Thousand Fans of Spring to celebrate the most important season in Japan! It is slightly more expensive (1,000 yen), but it is certainly worth it!

The box is the color of cherry blossoms, the symbol of Spring!

The contents are clearly indicated as usual!

As you lift the cover you will find another film of transparent paper protecting the food inside.

Now, what do we have?

Sansai maze gohan: Rice steamed together with wild mountain vegetables. Another indication that we are in Spring!

Shiozuke sakura no hana: edible cherry blossom preserved in salt!

Let’s have a look at the section on the left… beautiful colors!

Flower-shaped daikon pickled in sweet vinegar on na no hana/rapeseed flowers and umeboshi-pickled daikon.

Tara no me/a Japanese wild mountain vegetable.
Tofu edamame fuwafuwa: deep-fried tofu cake containing edamame and other vegetables.
Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette.

Now, let’s turn to the right section: More colors!

Nimono/simmered vegetables: Carrot, taro, shiitake mushroom, green peas in their pod, bamboo shoot and cherry-blossom-shaped jelly.

Now for the “main dish”: pork shuumai/dim sung, sawara/young Spanish mackerel (from the Suruga Bay) and deep-fried chikuwa/fish paste roll stuffed with umeboshi paste.

By now you should know the color of Spring in Japan!

To be continued…

Bento, Ekiben, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Tourism, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Shizuoka Tokusei Okonomi

May 6, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

It seems I still have to round up quite a few more ekiben at Shizuoka (City) JR Station before I can move to another station! LOL

This particular regular bento is called Shizuoka Tokusei Okonomi/静岡特製お好み, meaning that it is a specilally made bento with the rice coming with a different topping according to season.

A plain “obento/おべんと” is written on the box but the slightly retro designs are inviting!

Tokaiken Co. as usual describes the contents in detail!

Now, what do we have here?
Notice that the rice is protected by a sheet of paper.

Endou mame gohan/エンドウ豆ご飯, steamed rice and green peas.

Bottom left: pickled daikon
Bottom center: Grilled mackerel
Bottom right: Nimono/steamed vegetables: carrot, taro, shiitake, string bean and yuuba hiroisu/tofu cake.

Middle left: Ingen goma shirae/boiled string beans with sesame dressing
Middle center: Shrimps tempura with a small bottle of soy sauce

Top left: Niwatori Karaage/deep-fried chicken (Japanese style)
Top center: Daifuku/Japanese wagashi/cakes made with rice flour and sweetmeats.
Top right: Shrimps and coleslaw salad

Great balance again and reasonably-priced!

To be continued…

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Shizuoka Monogatari

May 5, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Even if the many ekiben/Raliway bento/Railway Box Lunches at Shizuoka JR Station are all prepared by the same company, Tokaiken Co., they still have to satisfy not only a great variety of individual tastes but also “multiple tastes”.
Some people don’t want rice only or not one kind of the latter.
Shizuoka Monogatari/静岡物語 (Shizuoka Story) is a typical example of an ekiben conceived to satisfy an eclectic customer!

Orange is the official color of Shizuoka Prefecture!

As usual everything is clearly indicated!

No, the picture is not blurry. It is only that the food is protected by a film of hard transparent paper!

Now, what do we have here?

Due to the design of the ekiben I will have to repeat myself!
The rice at the bottom is topped with deep-fried cherry shrimps/sakura ebi, only found in Shizuoka Prefecture!
The spaghetti are peperocino style!

The rice at the right has been steamed with Shizuoka green tea!

Bottom left: Nimono/stewed vegetables: carrot, bamboo shoots, string beans.
Bottom right: Yaki saba/grilled mackerel and sweet beans dessert (called “uguisu mame”)
Top left: Unagi kabayaki/broiled eel with pickled leaf ginger and lettuce
Top right: Maguro Kakuni/stewed tuna cubes, Kuro hanpen/Sardine paste (both Shizuoka specialties)

Bottom right: Shuumai, soy sauce bottle and apricot preserve dessert
Top right: Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette (containing minced meat) and pickled daikon

To be continued….

Bento, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Fuji No Mikaku

April 30, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Ekiben/Railway Bento Boxes are many, even in Shizuoka City (don’t worry I will soon investigate other cities!) and this stimulates a healthy competition not only in ingredients and taste but also in design!

So this particular ekiben called “Fuji no Mikaku/不二の味覚/The only taste of its kind” came as a triangular box!

The wrap made for some beautiful design!

A small “tongue” helps you open the box. The latter is very light and easily disposable.

Tokaiken Co. went as far as providing a menu card inside! Makes for a cute souvenir!

As usual a translucent sheet of hard paper protected the food!

Alright, what do we have here?

Chahan Sakuraebi Chirashi/Rice steamed in tea and decorated with fried Cherry Shrimps.

From bottom up, left top right:
Jelly for dessert
Nibutaniku/simmered pork with bits of yuzu/lime
A small bottle of wasabi miso sauce
Jyako Iri Tamagoyaki/japanese omelette with sardine whiting
Shiitake mushroom, sweet konbu/seaweed, carrot, peas in the pod, kabocha and bamboo shoot.

For a better view of the tamagoyaki!

And for a better view of the tamagoyaki’s companions!

The miso sauce was delicious!

Top corner from bottom up:
Tofu Hamburuger (no meat, all vegestables with some seaweed)
Renkon Hasami Age/Deep-fried lotus root sandwich
Kuro Hanpen no Tenpura/sardine fish paste (a Shizuoka specialty) fried as tempura