Sumptuous and immaculate bentos (COVID-19 takeout edition)
Imanishi is a contemporary izakaya (Japanese bar) and one of the top ones in Toronto. The contemporary part comes from its adaption of traditional izakaya foods like karaage (唐揚げ; deep-fried chicken chunks) and goma-ae (胡麻和え; salad with sesame dressing). They mostly stay true to the original but are plated nicer, in tapas format. Serendipitous additions like fried chickpeas and monkfish liver further differentiate Imanishi from old-school izakayas.
Well, that was before COVID-19. When indoor dining was shut down, Imanishi pivoted to donburi (rice bowls) and bento (boxed meals with assorted sides). This was perhaps a blessing in disguise because I like their bento even more than their a la carte options.
A short primer on bento
Bento (弁当) is a compartmentalized meal with rice and at least 3 or more side dishes. It’s designed for takeout. It originated from Japan and has spread across Korea, China, and Taiwan. Southeast Asia also has a similar thing but it isn’t packed as exquisitely. Hawaiian plate lunches can also be considered a form of bento if you squint a little.
For Korean bentos in Toronto, try Hawk and Chick. Taiwanese bentos are more common but I haven’t found a stellar one yet. Chi Chop and ZenQ are convenient if you are downtown. Wei’s Taiwanese for value. And as for Japanese bentos, they are everywhere. Quality varies a lot.