One of Kobe’s most famous ekiben is “Hippari-dako Rice” from Awajiya, a long-established Kobe restaurant. The octopus-pot-shaped container is made of ceramic and comes in a variety of designs, making it a visually appealing ekiben. The “Octopus Rice and Sukiyaki Bento” we’re introducing today lets you enjoy both Awajiya’s Hippari-dako Rice and Kobe beef sukiyaki at the same time.
Sukiyaki is a dish that lets you fully enjoy the flavor of beef. Although it’s rich in umami and has plenty of fat, what stands out when you taste it is its light and refined seasoning. The rice has a slightly sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the beef. The simmered shredded konjac, the thick and substantial shiitake mushrooms, and the tender green onions each fully showcase the natural flavors of their ingredients, making this part of the bento alone deeply satisfying.
As for the octopus rice, the octopus—the star of the dish—is satisfyingly chewy and substantial. The rice has a light seasoning, and the combination of shredded omelet and simmered rapeseed flowers creates a gentle overall flavor that really brings out the taste of the octopus. The fried kamaboko also contains octopus, so it’s clear the dish is all about octopus—but there’s actually a generous portion of simmered conger eel as well. Not only is the flavor excellent, but the portion size is substantial enough that it certainly doesn’t feel like a supporting role. The combination of octopus and conger eel makes for a truly luxurious part of the dish.
In fact, I’ve heard that some people choose this ekiben because they want to avoid having the attractive container—which I mentioned at the beginning of this post—end up as extra luggage on trips or business trips.
Incidentally, the Awajiya store I visited this time at Nishi-Akashi Station was apparently opened in 1995—the same year that the Great Hanshin Earthquake forced all of the company’s stores in Kobe to close. Taking into account Awajiya’s history—as detailed on the company’s website—of supplying 20,000 meals a day to evacuation centers and recovery workers despite the disruption of water and gas services at the time, I thoroughly enjoyed this time-honored Kobe station bento. I had it for lunch during a day trip for work this time, but I’d love to take a leisurely stroll through the streets of Kobe sometime soon.
© Source travel watch