Box Lunch: Smiling onigiri

by Emily Matchar, Posted Sep 9th 2008 @ 12:00PM

For your lunchtime pleasure, I'm presenting a series of my favorite bento boxes. Bento are Japanese home-prepared meals served in special boxes, usually eaten for lunch at work or school. The boxes can range from austere lacquered trays to multi-tiered Hello Kitty confections of neon pink plastic. The meals themselves are anything from rice and leftovers to elaborate themed affairs of Pikachu-shaped dumplings with sesame seed eyes and carved radish trees. These days, bento enthusiasts from all over the world share their creations on Flickr.

Today's bento, from Mamichan, features three onigiri filled with ume (sour plum) and shiso (AKA Japanese basil). Does it say something about my psyche that all three nori faces look a little evil to me? On the side is some turkey bacon and carrot stir fry, sliced spring rolls, and roasted beet.

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Filed Under: Food Oddities, Ingredients
Tags: bento, lunch, oddities, rice, shiso, ume, vegetables