Do Japanese train bento boxes come with a heated version? The grilled beef tongue is irresistibly aromatic.

Text and photos byRight upper 45-degree angle

Sendai’s three famous specialties: beef tongue, kamaboko (fish cake), and edamame (green soybeans). Originally, I didn’t particularly aim to try all three, but in Sendai, these three specialties are everywhere you look—it’s hard not to eat them (laughs). There must be hundreds of varieties of train bento boxes sold on the second floor of Sendai Station. That day, I was in a rush to go see the night maple leaves and didn’t have time for a proper sit-down meal, so I grabbed a bento box from the second floor of Sendai Station but forgot to take a picture of the shop. I remember it was on the left-hand side facing the Shinkansen entrance, and the entire store specialized in beef bento boxes.

I picked one at random, and when I got to Matsushima Kaigan Station and took a closer look, it turned out to be a beef tongue bento box released by the famous beef tongue shop 【Zenkirou】. The bottom right corner explains how to heat and use it.

This bento box feels a bit heavy and is quite large, quite different from your average bento. Of course, the price is different too, as high as 1500 yen. You can enjoy the tender beef tongue... When I bought a bento box at Sendai Station and then arrived at [location], I also spent around 1000 yen... It’s truly a premium experience.) It was also priced at 1000 yen. That’s really a high-end treat.

The way to use it is quite simple—just look at this line on the side.

Pull out the string, and it’s ready to eat in 5 minutes.

After pulling out the string, the steam is quite hot, so it’s best to place it somewhere and let it heat up on its own. You’ll start to hear a puffing steam sound from inside—what’s the principle behind it? It’s quite intriguing.

Once it’s heated, take out the bento box, and it comes with seven-spice chili pepper that you can add yourself.

Open the bento box, and there are six slices of hot, grilled beef tongue lined up in a row. The sweet, caramelized aroma is truly mouthwatering. On the right, there are also some pickled vegetables, but for me, they’re just for changing the flavor—whether they’re tasty or not doesn’t really matter.

Take a closer look at this beef tongue—the knife marks allow the marinade to penetrate more deeply. I’m guessing it’s seasoned with a sukiyaki-style sauce, which is sweet and pairs well with rice. However, even though it’s a hot bento box as preferred by Taiwanese people, beef tongue is still a tougher cut. Although it’s delicious, it’s a bit chewy. I still think the train bento box I had at Yonezawa Station—the Japanese Black Wagyu Authentic Charcoal-Grilled Meat (http://serene1102.pixnet.net/blog/post/29986598) —was even more delicious.

But still, I finished every last bite. Japanese rice is just impossible to leave unfinished...

【Sendai Zenkirou Premium Thick-Cut Grilled Beef Tongue Bento (Requires Heating)】
Purchase location: Next to the Shinkansen entrance on the second floor of Sendai Station
Price: 1500 yen