Ekiben (Station Food)

In Japan, train stations seriously kick up the standard of food. They have a name for it: Ekiben (Eki means station and ben is short for bento). Outside Japan, train stations are utilitarian - they serve the purpose of travel and thats it. In Japan, they are the epicenter of a city used for shopping, eating and socializing.

Here some of the best Ekiben I have had in Japan:

  1. Bonito Egg

Scotch eggs are common place in UK but pretty rare outside. I have never seen another country wrap an egg in anything which is why the Bonito Egg pictured here caught my attention!

The rice is mixed with bonito and wrapped around a marinaded egg (same as one you might do for ramen) with a strip of seaweed. 

Tom Case