"The Dinner of the Convenience Store"
Brandon and I wanted to get something quick to eat the other night, but neither of us wanted to cook and our favorite take out place was closed, so we decided to head over to Family Mart, our local convenience store. I know, I know, when you're looking for a tasty meal in the U.S., a convenience store probably doesn't make the top of your list. Ah, but in Japan, a meal from a "combini" isn't considered strange at all. In fact, many "bento" (a packed lunch) are purchased at combini on a regular basis.
Our Family Mart had a wonderful selection of assorted noodle soups, breads, sushi (some of which they will heat in their microwave for you), onigiri (a sort of rice and seaweed sandwich), and even a nice selection of adorable desserts! We posted photos of our dinner in the gallery for you to see. The noodle soup was delicious and very easy to tailor to our individual tastes. (For example, I don't like anything pickled. The toppings come in a small tray with each topping in its own compartment so nothing touches! Yay! This is sheer happiness for picky eaters!) Brandon enjoyed the sushi and I helped him with the fried chicken and tonkatsu that came with the set. (I am a big fan of sashimi - raw fish - but avoid sushi whenever I can. Again, that intense dislike of vinegar and all things pickled. Or for Aunt Amy, "That does not appeal to me.")
As for the desserts, well, they were really cute. So petite and detailed! Brandon's had a delicious strawberry jam and whipped topping, but the actual dessert was evidently more of an acquired taste. I chose mine due to the Italian flag on top (thinking happy thoughts of our trip to Italy), and ended up with a whipped topping on a vanilla-y pudding-like substance as the main dessert and a layer of dark, bitter liquid on the bottom. The presentation was cute, but I'll pass next time. I have my sights set on a piece of white cake with white icing for our next combini no bangohan! :)
---Arielle
