Favorite Quick Lunch

[jrufusj]

I spend about a week a month in Tokyo, but most of my time is devoted to business. This means that, while I have plenty of time to explore new places and have a liesurely dinner, lunches must normally be grabbed on the go.

Question: What do you like to eat for lunch when you are pressed for time and cannot really go far or sit down in a restaurant? Please assume bento from home is not an option, as I stay in a hotel when I am there.

I find that I often go back to one item again and again. A fast takeout place in the lobby of my building serves donburi type dishes (not actually served in a donburi, but in a Chinese-type cardboard takeout box). They have one where the toppings are: yama-imo, nameko, those tiny little crispy sardine-like fish, pureed green vegetable, salmon, shoyu, and raw okra. The rice is not perfect, but is decent. I get this once or twice a week for a delicious takeout slimefest! Anyone else had this? Is it a common dish that I could find a better version of in a sit-down restaurant?

Thanks,

Jim

[torakris]

Because for the past 8 years I have spent every lunch time with at least one child I avoid the crowds and on the run I usually stop into a convenience store, or pick up some type of prepared food at either a depachika (department store basement) or a supermarket, then of course there is always the McDonald's drive thru!

[smallworld]

Onigiri always does it for me. If you're working/staying in a central area like Akasaka or Marunouchi, you should have many options. Recently there have been plenty of shops selling take out onigiri, soups and sandwhiches (good western-style ones, not wimply little Japanese ones) have been springing up in these areas.

Take-out sushi and bentos are good too, and believe it or not, instant ramen. There are some really tasty varieties.

[Schneier]

Stand up noodles. Hot, quick, and tasty. You can't go wrong.

Japan is filled with quick-meal restaurants. Ask you coworkers. They'll know.

Bruce

[torakris]

I love the bento places in the depachika that let you choose the fillings for your bento. There is usually a choice of a couple types of rice, then and then a choice of one main and 3 or 4 sides and pickles as well. The one I buy costs ony \500 ($4.50) really a great deal.

Another one of my favorite "fast" food places by my house is the Ishiyaki bimbimbap counter at a local food court. They have only ishiyaki (stone bowl) and about 7 or 8 varieties of it, the price is great as well.

[torakris]

This is one of my favorite dishes from a food court at a nearby mall.

It is a cell phone photo so the quality isn't that great...

The restaurant is called Hathi and they sell most Vietnamese style dishes. I really love their kabocha salad that is on the side of the dish. At 700 yen ($5.75) it isn't a bad price for a hot lunch.