SakuraB Bento (Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2012)

In March, I saw advertisements running all over transit about the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. Of course, the thing that stood out to me was the food part advertising the SakuraB Bento boxes. These lunch boxes featured different items made by chefs from popular or famous Japanese restaurants in Metro Vancouver.

I pre-ordered my bento box (they were only sold in advance online through the Festival's website) and picked them up at the Festival. As noted on the bento box lid, this was a "limited edition culinary treat to make your celebration even more memorable!"

The featured items included (see below photo):

Tojo's Restaurant - Assortment of Temari Sushi (top right corner)
Sushi rice wrapped with smoked salmon, smoked sablefish, Tuna tataki, and Shiitake mushroom

Zen Japanese Restaurant - Ebi Crisp (centre)
Crisp cucumber cup filled with Japanese plum-infused-amaebi (sweet shrimp), topped with crunchy lobster, crisp Fuji apples and masago

Shuraku Sake Bar & Bistro - Fraser Valley Pork Kakuni (top left corner)
Barley-fed Fraser Valley park braised tamari ginger soy sauce with kombu umami

Toshi Japanese Restaurant - Braised Stuffed Chicken (bottom right corner)
Stuffed with minced chicken, green beans and imitation crab

Zest Japanese Restaurant - Scallop Kiwi Carpaccio & Kamaboko (bottom left corner)
Slice of Japanese scallops and kiwi served with soy mustard dressing; also with smoked salmon and edamame fish cake

Miku - Sakura Oshi (centre, to the left, with a pink blob)
Ebi and hotate pressed and dressed with house made ume sauce

If I had to pick out my favourite, it would have to be the smoked sablefish temari sushi. The rice had little flecks of shiso leaves and the fish was still moist yet it still held up while wrapped around the rice ball.

For $20 a box, I'm not sure if it's exactly bang for your buck but it was indeed unique and delicious.