Obento — Restaurant in Murfreesboro

I had the pleasure of dining at Obento today and meeting the owner Sonia. This was my first time dining Bento Box style and I was very impressed with the concept AND the food. Sonia is awesome explaining how it all works, different options, and what went well with what. I did the two-protein option with Teriyaki Chicken and the Pork Katsu with the potato salad and Harumaki Rolls. The Bento Box also includes a ginger salad along with Miso soup and sticky white rice. Sonia explained the Oden soup to me and kindly shared a sample of it with fish ball and octopus cake in a rich dashi stock.

The meal was off to such a great start…I could do a “soup & salad” meal alone with the Miso Soup and Ginger dressing salad. The ginger dressing is homemade and it is so good I bought an extra container to take home! The Oden soup is unusual and reminded me of fish soup in New England, I liked it.

The Bento Box…WOW!!! Sonia told me all of the sauces for dipping and cooking are homemade in-house. The Teriyaki sauce for the chicken and the Japanese Mayonnaise for dipping the Pork Katsu really went well and enhanced versus overpowering the dishes. The potato salad was a big surprise and so good…she adds chunks of apple for a wonderful flavor profile. The steamed veggies and daikon radish was al dente and fresh, while the Harumaki rolls were fresh and crisp.

Sooooo much food and all of it was delicious. Stand-outs…the ginger dressing for the salad, the flavor of the teriyaki sauce on the chicken, and that Japanese Mayo would enhance anything it is paired with. I’m so glad I finally made it out here…great food and exceptional (and informative…I learned a...

Have so been looking forward to checking this place out since my wife and I just love the food, service, staff, and owners from their wonderful sushi place on the other side of the interstate!

We were not disappointed at all! Keeping with the heritage of a Bento box, I stopped in to pick up a working lunch for me on the way home and my wife working from home.

Service was prompt, and all of my questions about the sides and protein options were answered completely. I waited on the soft seating at the door, and got a perfectly packed brown paper bag with plastic containers. I drove home across town and everything hot was still hot, and everything cold was still cold when my wife and I sat down to enjoy our boxes!

We had Chicken Katsu, Shrimp and Grilled Eel, the delicious tempura sweet potato, and much more. I loved how fresh and well curated each of the proteins, vegetable garnishes, and sides were! Everything feels artfully and intentionally placed. The box ends up looking like a sectional...

We found Obento by accident while on a road trip—we were just looking for coffee, but a map error led us here instead. The staff went out of their way to help us find a coffee spot, but since everything nearby was closed, we decided to stay. And I’m so glad we did! From the moment we walked in, the place smelled amazing, and the warm, welcoming atmosphere made us change our plans and try their food.

I wish I could give them more than 5 stars! The food was incredibly tasty and brought back the exact flavors I experienced when I was in Japan. The hospitality was just as amazing—Valina and Becca were both so kind and professional. Valina took the time to explain the menu to us, making our experience even better. If you ever have the chance to try their food,...