I like it when the portion size is large.

Yurinchi bento 480 yen

The 430 yen chicken bento was delicious and filling. It is conveniently located near the university, so I will definitely use it again in the future.

Delicious and affordable

I always go there because it's close to the university.

In late November 2014, I visited a bento shop located just a 1-minute walk from the north gate of Waseda University. It's a bit inconveniently located, about a 7-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Waseda Station and a 5-minute walk from Toden Waseda Station, but it has a strong hold on the hearts of Waseda University students and those working in the area. The variety of bento options here rivals that of the famous Wasenda Bento, attracting a large crowd during lunchtime. The bentos here are unique in that they contain a variety of side dishes in one box, making them quite different from the former. However, since the majority of customers are students, the menu tends to lean towards heartier options. Today, I decided to try the Stamina Bento (400 yen)! It includes stir-fried pork and vegetables, croquette, octopus sausage, sautéed green beans and corn, and pickles. Let's dig in! The rice is topped with stir-fried pork and vegetables in a sauce similar to oyster sauce, with a slightly spicy and flavorful kick. It's appetizing and satisfying. The portion of rice is larger than a typical bento, providing a substantial meal. It was delicious. With a variety of options available, I look forward to trying more bento boxes in the future.

Today, I went to the bento shop here for lunch! It gets pretty crowded during lunchtime because a lot of students come to buy. The menu is quite extensive, with bento starting at around 380 yen. The speed of service is quite fast, and if you go a little early, they have pre-made bento so it comes out quickly. This time, I had the chicken cutlet bento. Surprisingly, the coating was crispy without the typical soggy feeling, and it was very delicious. The portion of rice is quite large, so it's recommended for those who want a hearty meal. There may be slightly more women than men. lol 20131217 Revisit I came to buy bento for lunch again today ^_^ I wanted to eat a lot, so I chose the cheese hamburger bento for 500 yen. It's a bit more expensive than the other bentos, but it comes with an omelet and is a very voluminous bento ^ ^ The taste was also very delicious with the cheese mixing well with the hamburger. 20131217 Revisit Today, I wanted to eat something oily, so I chose the fried chicken bento for 380 yen. The fried chicken here is quite well-cooked, crispy, and juicy. The fried chicken itself is seasoned, so it may be a bit salty for some. I always find it convenient to be able to eat freshly made food here. 20140110 Revisit Today, I ordered the mixed bento. The fried chicken was consistently good, but the croquette was a bit mushy. It was a pre-made bento, so it's understandable. The fried chicken had the usual perfect crispiness and was delicious. ^_^

There are other bento shops in Waseda besides the famous Wasenben, such as Takitate on Okuma Street, Ineya on Nishimon Street, and this particular shop near the North Gate which is not as well-known. It is conveniently located near Building 22 and the Central Library, making it a popular choice for a quick lunch. The prices are reasonable, usually under 500 yen. During lunchtime, you can often see people enjoying their bento in the square in front of the Central Library. I recommend the nori bento or the fried chicken bento. The taste is average, but they offer a variety of daily specials so you won't get bored of the menu.

In this area, there are many bento shops, and they are generally all reasonably priced. The representative of affordability is Takitate Oishisa, and the representative of deliciousness is Kitchen Miki. When it comes to volume, I think this place is the best by far! Today, as we were discussing where to buy lunch, my senior took me to a bento shop here. It's located right in front of Building 22 of Waseda University, right next to the library. During lunchtime, they have pre-made bentos available, but if you go at a different time, you may have to wait for about 10 minutes for them to make it fresh on the spot. I've been there twice before, and I think the Ebi Katsu Tartar bento was the best, with the Ebi Katsu being particularly delicious. The Sasami Cheese bento was okay, as the combination of chicken breast and cheese didn't quite match well. The Ebi Katsu had a lot of filler, but the cutlet itself was quite large, and the tartar sauce was tasty. The amount of rice in their bentos is significantly larger than other bento shops around here, almost double the amount of Takitate Oishisa. In that sense, the cost-performance ratio is amazing! It's the go-to place for satisfying hungry students.

The student town is bustling indeed. The portion size is large. The fried rice bento is quite generous in portion. The taste is good and it passes as a fried rice lover. However, the side dishes seem a bit too much like extras. Too many stems and such. Doesn't really go well with the bento. Well, it's a matter of preference.

There is a convenience store called Seven Eleven at the corner of Shin Mejiro Street, which runs near Waseda University. Going up from there is a slope called Grand Slope. According to a sign on the slope, it is called Grand Slope because the voices of students practicing for the university baseball league games at the Totsuka Baseball Field (now Waseda University Comprehensive Academic Center) can be heard from there. Next to this Grand Slope is a bento shop, which is relatively new compared to the other long-established Western-style eateries like Kitchen Miki and Tomo'z. I thought it was relatively new for a bento shop in Waseda, but it has been around for about 7-8 years. I heard from a TV program that a young female announcer who graduated from Waseda University often ate the bento from this shop, so it seems to be well recognized among students. When it comes to bento in this area, personally, I tend to be drawn to "Takitete," where an elderly gentleman runs the shop alone, and I have yet to visit this bento shop. In these times, I decided to try a takeout. → What I ordered: Chicken Cheese Bento @480 Looking at the menu, there are various options available. When I tried to order the teriyaki bento, it was already sold out. Are Waseda students fond of teriyaki? So, I decided to go with the Chicken Cheese Bento. The staff at the shop were very enthusiastic in their service, which I appreciated. The Chicken Cheese Bento came with chicken cheese tempura and fish cake tempura. It was a generous portion of fried food. The taste was quite good. The rice was also served in a generous portion. The shop is located right near the north gate of Waseda University, so students are the main target, and having a good portion size is important. Nowadays, some bento boxes lack vegetables when they include fried foods, but this bento had shredded cabbage underneath the chicken cheese tempura. When eating fried foods, you always crave some vegetables, right? It was a reassuringly solid bento box.

"Seaweed tempura bento with tuna mayo for 500 yen."

Cheap and delicious