The advent of bento boxes, a compact meal popular in Japan, was spurred by the limitations of eating at work, much like our homegrown dabba system. Of course, it then evolved to find its way into lacquered, and later, mass-produced disposable boxes. But at the crux of it lies a simple logic - hassle-free meals at work.

Make lunch great again

So, on a bustling day in the newsroom, we call for a non-veg bento box (R750) from an Asian eatery in BKC, which launched them last week. Our meal arrives in a closely packed brown-and-black container and comprises an assortment of treats. We dig into the prawn tempura roll, a refreshing serving of sushi made with deep-fried prawn, avocado, crisps, and a sauce. And follow it up with a classic California roll prepared with crabmeat, avocado and cucumber and dotted with caviar. We relish our helping of sushis, but love the pan-seared John Dory that is served as a part of the mains. We are content with the delicate flavours of the fennel beurre blanc (or white butter) and the perfectly cooked fish. For dessert, we delve into the chocolate ganache cake, a decadent and gooey treat that leaves us wishing all work meals were like this one.