Just over a hundred yuan! Japanese-style handmade bento with sweet slices of meat and a variety of side dishes

Text & Photos /Orange Dog Loves Candy

The route I usually take for my evening walks with my dog mostly winds through the alleys of Jingcheng Road. Occasionally while walking, I’ll discover “Ah!! Another new shop!” Yes, although the Ximende area has the bustling Qimei Shopping District, and Jingming First Street may not be as lively as it once was, the alleys of Jingcheng Road are actually a quite vibrant and competitive hotspot.

I often pass by and see yet another house under renovation, although I forget about it the next day XD. Then one day, within a ten-minute walk from my home on Jingcheng Fifth Street, I spotted the opening of [Nishioka-ya Handmade Bento]. At first, I thought it was just a takeout bento shop, but later found out it actually serves Japanese-style set meal bentos as homestyle cooking. So I made plans with Tutu to come try it right when it opened in the evening.

From the outside, it looks quite like those unnamed little shops you’d stumble upon in the alleys of Japan. When I’ve been to Japan, I’ve always been quite interested in such places—they occasionally offer little surprises. But in Taiwan, there’s no need to worry about language barriers—you can just walk right in and ask for details.


The whole shop is almost entirely made of wood, from the counter (which also serves as a bar) to the seating, display shelves, and stairways. All the carpentry was handcrafted and designed by the owner. This reminds me of Chunyi Daren at Ximen Dacai Market in Tainan—the owner there is also a handmade crafting enthusiast who built every table and chair in the shop by hand.


Because of this, the entire shop has a unique style—especially a warm Japanese vibe (maybe just my imagination XD). But since it doesn’t open until 5:30 PM and it was cold, I waited outside starting at 5:10 PM. The owner opened the still-prepping door and invited me in to wait—such a considerate owner really stands out!

While preparing dinner, the owner also gave me a brief introduction to the shop. It turns out the couple are both from Tainan (they’re actually fellow hometown folks with me), and they work in Taichung. They also offer delivery services, so they’re pretty busy.


The space isn’t large—only enough seats for about six people on the first floor. If you’re a group of four, you can go upstairs where there are two big tables.


But I actually prefer the first-floor seating—it gives off a late-night diner kind of vibe. However, there is a menu here, with the wooden menu stand displaying the shop’s offerings.

This was also handmade by the owner—there's nothing overly contrived about the Japanese style. The prices are quite reasonable, mostly just over 100 yuan.


Plus, ordering a main dish comes with a free chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), and the shop also provides free vegetable miso soup. Honestly, it’s really not expensive at all when you think about it!


I ordered the [Handmade Beef Rice Bowl / 120 yuan]. Just from the name, I originally thought it would be something like Yoshinoya or Mos Burger’s beef rice.<饭，毕竟我期待的也是那个XD，结果突然看着店家怎么拿出便当盒，我才知道原来这边的盖饭是日式便当。

The main protein dishes are cooked only after customers place their orders, while the side dishes are prepared during the gaps before and after opening. When I arrived at 5:30 PM, the staff were just stir-frying vegetables and steaming the chawanmushi—not using any canned or vacuum-packed pickles to fill in.

The napa cabbage is braised with a bit of sauce, crisp and refreshing. There are also braised sides like fried tofu, lion’s head meatballs, kelp, and daikon radish.
 

The radish is probably the most likable character in the braising pot—it’s deeply flavored but not too salty, with a texture that’s just right without being overly soft.


The small lion’s head meatballs are hearty. Since they’re just a side dish, one bite and they’re gone—kind of lonely. I wonder if they can be ordered separately. There’s also a small portion of spicy pickled vegetables that’s really delicious—the spice level is seriously satisfying. I’d love to order a small plate of those too.

There’s also a piece of tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), but the flavor isn’t very authentic Japanese-style. Still, it’s pretty tasty.


The star of the show, the beef, has that sweet Japanese-style sauce flavor like in beef rice bowls. It uses wagyu chuck with a slightly fatty, QQ-textured part. However, today’s lean meat wasn’t tender enough—that’s the only slight letdown. But overall, the combination is delicious. As for the rice, it’s normally tasty, but for a Japanese bento, I think using a better type of rice could make it even more impressive!


[Chawanmushi / Original price 40 yuan / Comes with main dish] Their chawanmushi is very tender and eggy, with just a simple half piece of mushroom and corn, but it’s really good. Including it with the meal is quite a steal.

[Vegetable Miso Soup / Complimentary] There’s a pot of soup for customers to help themselves to. When I scooped some up, wow—there’s enoki mushrooms, radish, and onion, tons of ingredients. It’s offered for free, and just sprinkling some chopped green onions on top makes it great. It’s not as strong in miso flavor as the Japanese version.

But it’s also not as sweet as the Taiwanese style. It’s a very sincere bowl of soup (sorry, I ended up drinking three bowls XDDD).


[Pork Ribs Rice / 130 yuan / Limited] This is what Tutu ordered—the pork ribs rice. Who wouldn’t be tempted by the word “limited” XD?


The sides are mostly the same, but the main dish changes. There are four pork ribs, but I only tried a small bite and thought they were pretty good.


[Handmade Pan-Fried Radish Cake / 60 yuan] This is homemade by the shop, and you can taste the radish shreds and their fresh aroma.


The dipping sauce has shredded ginger added for a fragrant touch. The slices aren’t super thick, haha, but I think it’s quite tasty.
The way the main dish is presented is different from what I expected. Though it’s served in a Japanese bento style, the homey flavors of the sides are actually pretty good. Coupled with the chawanmushi and vegetable soup, I felt the overall content was quite rich. Plus, it’s close to my home—I think I’ll probably come here often.

However, I did notice that more people were getting takeout in the evening. But I really like the atmosphere inside the shop—it feels as relaxed as visiting someone’s home. And the pricing is not expensive for a restaurant. Interested folks should definitely check it out Up!!


[Nishigaoka Family]

Address:No. 31, Jingcheng 5th St., West District, Taichung City
Phone:0910-031128
Business Hours:11:30 AM – 2:00 PM; 3:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Consumption Note:Closed every Sunday. Takeaway prices seem cheaper but do not include chawanmushi (steamed egg custard).
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