Located on the 3rd floor of Hsinchu's Giant City, Da House is a familiar old friend to many families and office workers. As a brand that specializes in Japanese home-style cuisine, Da House has gained many long-term supporters due to its consistent quality, healthy combinations, and warm flavors. In the past, I usually dined in the restaurant, enjoying the steaming, freshly-prepared meals along with the miso soup served at the table. However, this time I decided to try their takeout bento and was pleasantly surprised to find that Da House still takes great care in the design and quality of their takeout boxes.

First of all, it’s worth mentioning that even though it's a takeout bento, each comes with a bowl of hot miso soup. The miso soup is not skimped on — it has the right balance of kelp, tofu, and broth, making it refreshing and flavorful, and it's the perfect warm presence in the entire bento!

Grilled Salted Pork Belly Bento
The pork, marinated in traditional Japanese salt koji and grilled over charcoal, bursts with flavor, the meat is tender without being greasy. The outer skin is slightly charred while the inside retains its juices; each bite reveals the deep flavor imparted by the salt koji marinade. Accompanied by a slice of lemon, squeezing it can balance the richness and enhance the overall layers of flavor. The bento also includes white rice and three Japanese side dishes, which create a balanced and varied combination!

Pork Cutlet with Egg Rice Bento
The thick fried pork cutlet is topped with a smooth egg and sauce, and the combination of meat and egg is deliciously savory. However, due to the moist nature of the scrambled egg, the fried coating can become a bit soft as it absorbs the sauce, losing the crispiness that fried foods should have. Additionally, this bento does not come with other side dishes, only the pork cutlet and rice, making the overall flavor a bit monotonous; towards the end it can feel a bit heavy, so I recommend bringing some vegetables or a cold salad to pair with it.

Finally, we have the Grilled Mackerel Bento
Mackerel has delicate flesh; after grilling, the skin is crispy while the meat is tender, with even fat distribution, fragrant and not fishy. The fish fillets are large with few bones, making it relatively easy to pick out, which makes it a suitable choice for both seniors and children. Paired with white rice and three small side dishes, the portion is quite sufficient and is the most balanced in terms of overall taste and nutrition.

In summary, Da House's Giant City branch offers takeout bento that maintains the quality level of dining in the restaurant. If you're shopping and want to avoid the crowds in the food court while enjoying a filling and safe meal, Da House's bento would be an excellent choice!

After shopping at the Giant City with my family, we decided to take some bento back home. As a long-time supporter of Ootoya, it is always my reliable first choice whenever I don't know what to eat.

Ootoya's takeout menu features exclusive bento items designed for takeout, packaged in exquisite Japanese paper boxes. Not only are they convenient to carry, but they also look quite classy. Each bento comes with a bowl of miso kelp soup, and even though it’s takeout, it still maintains Ootoya's consistent spirit of a complete meal.

Grilled Salted Miso Pork Belly Bento
This is a dish I often order at Ootoya. It uses pork belly from the Shinkou breed, marinated in salted miso and then grilled over charcoal, creating delightful layers of aroma. The pork belly is rich in fat but surprisingly not greasy at all, tender and juicy with a smoky char flavor. The accompanying lemon slice adds a refreshing zest, enhancing the overall complexity of flavors. The bento also includes white rice and three side dishes, making it a balanced and flavorful choice that is highly recommended for both takeout and dine-in.

Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice Bowl Bento
Similar in concept to a katsudon, this dish features fried pork cutlet topped with fluffy eggs and sauce over rice. The egg’s aroma and the sauce are delicious, and the pork cutlet is thick enough. However, the outer fried coating tends to become soft and lose its crispiness due to being enveloped in the egg, which might disappoint those who prefer the crunchy texture of fried food. Additionally, this bento doesn’t come with side dishes; it only includes rice and the main meat and egg, leading to a heavier flavor overall. Toward the end of the meal, it might feel a bit rich, so pairing it with light soup or vegetables would be ideal.

Grilled Hokkaido Fish Bento
Hokkaido fish (hokke) is naturally rich in fat and, when grilled, has crispy skin and tender flesh, with few bones that can generally be easily removed. The portion of fish is generous, providing a filling meal, and it doesn't feel insubstantial just because it's fish. Paired with white rice and three side dishes, it achieves a good balance of nutrition and flavor, making it highly recommended for those seeking a refreshing yet hearty meal.

The takeout bento from Ootoya at the Giant City in Hsinchu continues to uphold the brand's consistent quality and Japanese bento style. You can feel the sincerity in the packaging, contents, and flavors, with stable flavors and complete combinations suitable for takeout enjoyment.