It’s easy to dismiss expensive gourmet food as a needless luxury, and in some ways, that’s true. We don’t need a fine dining experience to sustain our bodily functions, and we certainly don’t need to spend a lot of money to get really tasty food! Still, I believe there’s value in meals that are so painstakingly and artfully prepared that we have no choice but to be deeply thoughtful about each bite.
Here is a great example of that, the bento from Hayato. At $52, it’s a pricey meal. To be fair, it’s quite a lot of food, and one could easily outspend that on some other delicacies in this town. But yeah, that’s a lot of money for something that isn’t a fat slab of Wagyu beef. Take one look at it though, and we can see why it commands such a high price.
The attention to quality is apparent even in the packaging. The staff here is accommodating, and they care deeply about the entire experience — from pickup to the last bite. Just look at their site to see an entire page dedicated to the intricacies of making a good takeout bento.
I especially love this simple wooden container. It puts you in a particular mindset that prepares you to experience something rather than just eat something.
In all her glory… And now, some notes!
Dashimaki Tamago: Fluffy, juicy, lightly salty. YUUUUUUM.
Seared Duck Breast: GOOD AF. Incredibly tender and melt-in-your-mouth. Rich duck flavor lingers.
Wild Mexican White Shrimp Shinjo: Almost creamy, flavor reminds me a bit of coconut shrimp.
Koshihikari Rice: Can feel and taste every little grain of rice. Flavor is airy and light, almost like citrus without the tangy flavor. Also has subtle ginger.
Satsuma Sweet Potato Mitsu-ni: Disintegrates into an insanely smooth mashed potato. Has a cool sweetness. Texture is wild -- like someone compacted mashed potatoes into a solid cube.
Snow Crab Tofu: Like a pâté of crab and tofu blended together with a lightly crisped surface.
Agedashi Eggplant: Rich and oily. Almost the same texture as the sweet potato.
Black Cod Saikyo Yaki: Sweet with a light char. Fish oil aftertaste coats the tongue.
Grilled Hokkaido Scallop Shioyaki: Firm and pulpy. Lovely grilled outer texture.
Japanese Cucumber: The slices are sooo thin, and the texture makes it feel like a totally new food. Very simple and delicious. Fun to separate the slices as you eat it.
Winter Melon: Salty and sweet melon flavor. Big crunch. Slightly confusing. Almost a dessert.
Snow Crab Claw Sunomono: Salty, creamy, crabby.
Dried Shitake Nimono: Huge, juicy flavor. Very meaty and savory.
Datemaki Tamago: Cakey and sweet.
Pickled Daikon Namasu: Juicy, firm texture, strong flavor.
Not only is it visually striking overall, but every piece of food within this box is gorgeous in different ways. Each thing demands full use of your senses and provokes a thoughtfulness that would never come with, say, a fast food burger.
Where did all these foods originate, and does that affect quality? What motivates chefs to create something so beautiful and delicious? What about the rest of the foods I eat normally, and is it helpful to think about them from a different perspective? How does food relate to culture? What is the value in mastering a single thing and doing it as well as you possibly can? How can this meal motivate me?
Of course, these are just examples. How we relate to food is deeply personal, and this bento probably poses different questions for each of us. In my opinion, it’s well worth the cost, at least once, to experience that.