As the name suggests, the Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa Bento is a boxed lunch in a case in the shape of the E3 Series train operated by the Yamagata Shinkansen “Tsubasa”. It was made in Yonezawa by Matsukawa Bento Store, a long-established lunch box store established in Yonezawa in 1897. Although the bento shop offers a wide variety of bento with Yonezawa beef, the bento introduced here is a very simple children’s lunch-like bento.
The chicken rice, which is made with rice grown in Yamagata Prefecture, is very mild, with a dark color but not too strong flavor, and is accompanied by a semi-cooked-looking egg.
The side dishes include fried shrimp, a large hamburger steak, fried potatoes, and sausage, a lineup that is truly king in bento lunches for children. The fried shrimp is neither large nor small, but ordinary. The hamburger steak is quite hearty and sweetly seasoned. Sauce and ketchup are included in the package, but you can enjoy it without them. The sausage is not large, but it is also very hearty.
The potato fries have a crunchy texture. The overall flavor of the bento is gentle and unctuous, so while it would please any child, I have to admit that it lacks a little bit of crispness or stimulation for adults. It is a legitimate bento for children, which is very correct in terms of the appearance of the bento, and it is nonsense for an old man who is concerned about the case of the old paint of the E3 series to say anything about it. It also comes with cherries in syrup, processed cheese, and jelly.
The E3 series case that led to the purchase has a good sense of deformation, and the front skirt and movable steps under the doors have been reproduced in shape. Above all, the old paint scheme inherited from the first generation mini Shinkansen Series 400 is chic and very nice. Incidentally, Matsukawa Bento also sells a boxed lunch box in the current color.
It is a very orthodox children’s lunch, so there is nothing special to note about it as a meal for adults, but I couldn’t resist the “Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa Bento” because of its appearance. The debut of the new E8 Series has already been announced, and I want to have the current color as well.
© Source travel watch