Bento boom will come in the world? :-)

Starbucks Japan has released a cherry blossom beverage. They say it was really hard to create the flavor without any chemicals. Actually, they only used natural ingredients like dried cherry blossoms. I will try it tonight! :-)

I read that Japanese style bentos are booming in Paris. One bento costs about $10! That's a pretty expensive lunch. :-) But it's good to know that Japanese culture is being accepted by foreign people. Actually, I already can find many English chara-ben sites like this and this. In Europe, the next big trend is Ekiben? It'd be fun to eat each country's specialties while traveling through  Europe by train. Also, how are convenience store bentos in North America? :-)

 I was pretty surprised to hear that American visitor said he didn't like to eat fresh foods like sandwiches or bentos, but every morning, tracks deliver fresh food to each convenience store and the food isn't kept until the next day. I saw a Famima in Hollywood and they have fresh foods, though maybe it depends on the area.
 
Like restaurants, convenience stores change their bento offerings often. This site collects popular convenience stores' new foods information. Because of the recession, they are all pretty cheap, right? In Japan, people think 7 Eleven's bento is the best and actually, I agree with that, but if you can find "bento shops" like "hoka hoka tei" or hot motto, theirs are much better because they are cooked fresh in the shop so that meals are hot. And if you are willing to pay a little bit more, please go to a Depachika. They are food wonderlands! I recommend Tokyo Daimaru Depachika, where you can choose between reasonably-priced, gorgeous, Chinese, Western, or Japanese style bentos there.Check out this page from Nikkei Trendy and their official bento page.

My personal recommendation is here.
1.Maisen, Hirekatsu sand

2.Tenichi Tokusei Tendon

3.Black rice & tofu hamburg

Comments

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Good combini food and ekiben are uniquely Japanese things, I think. That and the huge adult beverage selection!

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Generally, we don't eat "fresh food" from American combini because it's not fresh or food! Think of hot dogs sitting under heat lamps for most of the day at the Kwik-E-Mart. Given that choice, people usually do fast food or nothing at all.

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In central London there are some Japanese shops which sell typical Japanese bento. Sometimes I buy this o-bento to take home for my dinner. (Sabishii, ne.)

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For instance, if you want ham, sundried tomatoes, and curried chicken in a brown bap or foccacia bread, you ask for that and they make it straight away. Those shops are often run by Italian people and you see similar kind of shops in Italy.

[louboutin]

The passenger would lean out of the window to pay and take the picnic bag. This was 30 years ago and I don't know if this still happens.

[joe]

man i miss bento.. =( *look at frozen dinner* .. >_> *sigh*

[Javi A.]

Did you taste the new starbucks pink beverage?
One friend of mine has said to me that has a little salted taste as japanese people like.
Please, can you make a description?

[Javi A.]

Do you know Hatsukoinokaori strawberries?
I think you should write some lines about them!

Crazy price !

[Javi A.]

Wow !
I love Starbucks and bento boxes too !
I think I'm gonna post an article of that strange drink in my blog. Thanks for the info !

By the way, do you know anything about white day (howai to dee)?

Thanks
;)

[Marco]

Bit expensive bento, isn't it? Bentos are so nice and おいしい～～～

how is that drink from starbucks?

[Wolf]

Abraxis might be correct about his city but, in Los Angeles the size of the Japanese community ensures that we have many delicious bento available.
In 'little Osaka'(Sawtelle Blvd), Nijiya Market has great well priced bento and there is also Mitsuwa Market nearby.

[mari]

arigato for comments. I really miss London. when I stayed in London, I ate sandwish everyday. Hi abraxis yes I heard there are no fresh food in american combini so I understand he thought it so weird and refused to eat.

[RMilner]

In London we have punnets of sushi available at many supermarkets like Waitrose or Marks & Spencer. Also ready made sandwiches and things like Mexican style roll.

In the past couple of years, chain stores have grown up such as Itsu, Samurai and Wasabi, which sell sushi and a range of bento boxes and noodles.

In central London there are some Japanese shops which sell typical Japanese bento. Sometimes I buy this o-bento to take home for my dinner. (Sabishii, ne.)

A more popular thing for British is the sandwich shop where you can have anything you like. For instance, if you want ham, sundried tomatoes, and curried chicken in a brown bap or foccacia bread, you ask for that and they make it straight away. Those shops are often run by Italian people and you see similar kind of shops in Italy.

UK railway stations don't have ekiben, but we have lots of food stalls in the concourse which sell things like baguette sandwich, or savoury croissants, bagels and so on.

I remember in Italy there used to be a kind of ekiben which was people with a cart selling a bag of picnic food alongside the train as it waited in the station. The passenger would lean out of the window to pay and take the picnic bag. This was 30 years ago and I don't know if this still happens.

I like ekiben culture in Japan and I want to have one every time I go on a long journey.

[abraxis]

Generally, we don't eat "fresh food" from American combini because it's not fresh or food! Think of hot dogs sitting under heat lamps for most of the day at the Kwik-E-Mart. Given that choice, people usually do fast food or nothing at all.

Good combini food and ekiben are uniquely Japanese things, I think. That and the huge adult beverage selection!