not in the near future
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Thanks for confirming! I personally though the best case would’ve been around December/New Years but I seem to be betting against the odds recently based on how tonight’s greater events have been going…
Holy hell!
That’s one magical box.
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I was extremely fortunate to get to order one of these boxes before the official launch. All I can say is that you are in for a treat, and it is as extraordinary as you imagine it to be.
When I picked it up the box, I got to have a nice chat with Chef Go. “We are pretty happy with this” he said - in what is an extreme understatement. I’ve been telling everybody who has asked that this Orizume is like the lunch bento but x10. There’s significantly more diversity of dishes, textures, flavors, cooking techniques, seasonings, you name it.
Chef also mentioned that it took them the entire day to make three of these. As time goes on, they’ll likely get more efficient in preparing these. But, as with any worthy pursuit in life, Chef mentioned that they knew they were shooting to the right standard when they realized it was so difficult to make one - or said another way, they had a stretch goal. Had it been easier, they might have thought that perhaps they had not set their standards high enough.
In the Hayato announcement, they mention that the box feeds “2 of more” - from my personal experience, this box fed three of us, and we still had some rice left over. There were a few pieces that needed to be divided (via chopstick no less!) to accommodate more than 2 people, but otherwise there were multiple bites of each item. My sense eating it was one of abundance rather than scarcity - there were more than enough bites of most of the items for each person to eat to their hearts content. So this will definitely serve 3 or more (ok maybe only 2 @PorkyBelly s or @J_L s).
Chef Go gave me an example of where people in Japan might take something like this to go to a picnic during Cherry Blossom festival, and it would be something you consume outside with your family over the course of a few hours. That’s the intent on how to experience this.
I really think a part of the fun in this is the unboxing and checking out all the little bits and pieces, not just of the food, but of the menu of the sheets explaining the cooking. In case you want to save the surprise for yourself, I’ve deferred any further details below the spoiler warnings.
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Yeah, ok, that didn’t stop any of you. Moving on…
From the onset, you know you’re getting something special just from the packaging. The entire box, with the ties, the paper, all speak to the fact that you are getting something nice, something you can keep that does not seem disposable.
Additionally, just the act of unpacking and exploring, reading everything is enjoyable in and of itself - in fact, in chatting with another FTCer, they anticipated this being a lot of plain-old good fun. I wholeheartedly agree.
One side anecdote is that Chef Go cautioned me (twice) to keep the box level because there are sauces in here. I thought “no problem” - and instead of putting the box in the trunk, I put it in the passenger seat on the drive home. Of course, during the drive home, I realized that my seat isn’t really parallel to the ground, but declines (20 degrees?), so I got paranoid, pulled over, and put something on top of the seat but below the box to keep it more level. Drove some more and realized the box was still not level, so I ended up putting it on my legs for the rest of the ride. There were no spilled sauces once I opened it (you’ll see later), so mission accomplished!
This is what you pick up - the box is enclosed in a nice wrap.
Once you unwrap the cloth - you get this. A couple sets of spoons and chopsticks, the menu and some explanation cards printed on what seems to be traditional Japanese paper. Everything exudes attention to detail and no compromise. I was told by a knowledgeable FTCer that the red tie signifies the New Year.
A picture of the unfolded menu. If you zoom in, you can see for each section that there’s a legend conforming to the divisions/quadrants of the wooden box.
Once you lift the top, you’re greeted by two different sections - the “appetizers” and the rice course. Most of the left side consists of dishes with sauces, so success! I had made it home without spilling too much.
And here is the Orizume laid out end to end. Depending on how you count, there are up to 14 different sections.
The first section with 8 mini sections. This is cavity in the wooden box that has been filled with 8 separate clear cubes, each with a separate dish. Each of these went really well with sake - I could imagine the likes of @beefnoguy or @Starchtrade lining up several bottles to pair depending on the bite!
Steamed Abalone with Daikon Somehow they’ve been able to preserve the flavors and textures from dinner service and distill it in this dish - the abalone has just the right amount of chew, and the essence of its flavor has seeped through the broth
House Made Yuba, Soy Sauce Ankake, Fresh Wasabe
Pure, clean, cool tasting, with just enough texture to keep its structure as you separate the strands that melt in your mouth
Dashi Ikura with Yuzu
Little bursts of goodness with just enough brininess retained, complemented by some fragrant acidity
Saba with Tosa Zu Jelly
Figs in Sesame “Goma-Ae”
The nuttiness of the sesame complemented the sweetness of the figs
Grilled Hokkaido Scallop with Nori Sauce
Spoon, meet nori sauce (after the pieces of scallop had been devoured)
Uni “Tsukudani”
I’ve only had chinmi that was very savory, so this was something new. I was expecting it to taste like karasumi (though of course made with uni), but it almost tasted like uni candy, though that doesn’t do it justice. This is made with dark soy sauce and sugar, reduced to the point where the ingredient preserved with sugar. The texture of the uni is preserved, and you a light uni flavor that then settles into a light sweetness that’s never cloying. One of the highlights in a box filled with highlights.
Simmered Japanese Sardine
I may or may not have taken a spoon to lap up all the remaining sauce in this last section even once the “solid” food had been consumed.
And now we move on to the middle section, consisting of 4 quadants.
1st Quadrant
Charcoal Grilled Aka Mutsu
Awa Fu “Age-Ni”
Kabocha “Yose”
Umeboshi Carrot
Japanese Eggplant Steeped in Kombu Dashi
Kuromame
A note on the kuromame (@Starchtrade) - I’ve only had them a couple of times (I recall at Mori and perhaps elsewhere), but each of these was a complete treat. Just enough resistance at the surface, before you bite though into the chewy middle, and each piece has just the right amount of sweetness.
A close up of the aka mutsu (aka nodoguro, which is a staple of the Hayato dinner menu) - as tasty, buttery, and juicy as you hope.
Note that my pictures don’t properly show depth. So, for instance, there are two pieces of the aka mutsu 
and two pieces of awa-fu, the second pieces placed below the first. As I said, abundance.
We saved the kabocha yose for last. This is based on wagashi preparations, molded, and they use thickening agents to give it that texture. It was F*!$**ing ridiculous from a taste and textural standpoint!
2nd Quadrant
Lobster “Uma Ni”
Japanese Sea Bream “Tatsuta Age”
Pickled Hoshigaki (dried persimmon) Rolled with Daikon
Fried Baby Corn
Fava Beans
The lobster is prepped with sweetened dashi with soy sauce. I thought the seasoning integrated really naturally with the sweetness of the cooked lobster, giving me the sensation of eating really flavorful lobster rather than a piece of lobster + a separate sauce.
The sea bream tatsuta age still retained a crunch, and it tasted freshly fried, even though it had been sitting in the box for a while.
3rd Quadrant
Duck Tsukune and Shiso “Hasami Yaki”
Japanese Turnip “Fukume Ni”
Simmered Anago
Pickled Myoga
Salted Cucumber Flowers
The simmered anago was delicate, soft, and melted in your mouth. It’s mentioned it’s a lighter presentation than one would get in a sushi restaurant, and I am completely on board, as I feel sometimes the anago saucing I’ve had has been a bit heavy-handed.
The duck tsukune was an absolute highlight - with just enough gaminess and an herbal complement
4th Quadrant
Shrimp Shinjo and Lotus Root “Hasami-Age”
Grilled Maui Onion with Soy Sauce
Gobo “Fukume Ni”
Satsuma Sweet Potato “Chakin Shibori”
Pickled Cucumber with Sesame and Salt
Flower Petal Lily Bulb
For many fans of the lunch bento, the shrimp shinjo is their favorite dish. This was the shinjo fried “hasami” (sandwiched) with renkon, or lotus root, which gives another dimension to this. You get the sweetiness and brininess of the shrimp shinjo, with the chewy but solid texture, but complemented by the crunchy and starchy lotus root. Another highlight!
The satsuma sweet potato kinto was displayed in a post on Chef Go’s IG previously (up above in this thread). Also based on wagashi - I loved this as well.
The maui onions also must be highlighted - it’s mentioned this item is representative of modern changes that are occuring in Japanese restaurant cooking. Traditionally yakimono is grilled, but this was steamed, fried, and then grilled. The depth of flavor and deliciousness from a simple onion was absolutely breathtaking.
The last section of the box.
Kinmedai Snapper “Taki-Komi Gohan”
Matsutake Rice
Fans of dinner service have gotten their wish - the kinmedai rice to go!
I am not putting a power ranking and will let others do so once they get their hands on this, but some of my very favorites are the uni, the duck tsukune, the shrimp shinjo with lotus root, the two wagashi pieces (Kabocha, sweet potato), the kuromame, the aka mutsu… ok now you see why I’m not putting together a power ranking.
A picture of the menu next to the box, with the corresponding divisions.
Additional sheets with explanations of many of the dishes / cooking techniques that are displayed. I wish I could claim I knew that much about Japanese cooking techniques but 90% of the above explanations were based on these sheets. When one is sitting at Hayato eating dinner, Chef Go provides this background on the provenance and techniques used for the dishes, so these sheets provide a nice substitute for the takeout experience.
Last, but definitely not least, there’s a nice note at the end crediting the entire hardworking team at Hayato that makes this all happen.
Our meal lasted quite a while, and it was a nice respite from checking out all the news real time. I’ve mentioned it above, but my sense eating this box was one of abundance - there were numerous pieces of most of the dishes, and just enough of some of the richer and sweeter, more decadent dishes. As we neared the end, I had that sinking feeling of not wanting to end (even though I was darn satiated), similar to how that feeling you got while watching the last season of Game of Thrones (well, if it had ended in Season 7, not 8).
It’s been said many times, but we are so lucky that Chef Go and the Hayato team continue to ply their trade in this great city. I am not aware that you are able to get anything like this anywhere else in the country. Yes, the box is a luxury, especially during these times, but it was so, so worth it. I tried to rein myself in throughout this post, but this dinner Orizume was absolutely exquisite and deserves the highest superlatives - it really is a singular offering.
It does not give up anything vs. the tasting menus I’ve been able to eat, though of course the experiences are vastly different. One advantage of tasting menus in general is that they are able to bring you food at the precise moment that it’s supposed to served, so that the aromas, flavors, textures, and temperature are all optimal. With this box, they are not able to control temperature, but they’ve offset that by dialing up the flavors (without overdoing it) and controlling the textures, which is quite a feat. But everyone who has tried the lunch bento has already had a glimpse into how that’s been achieved so far, and this dinner bento is the next (HUGE) step beyond that.
Also, I would strongly encourage folks to order a bottle (or two!) of sake to go with this. One, it will vastly improve your enjoyment - I was taking a sip after every single bite, and before I knew it, the bottle of sake was mostly gone! Two, given how much time and effort it takes to make each box, I think these are still a labour of love, so you’re supporting Hayato so they can continue to make more of these and see us, stronger, on the other side.
I’m really excited to see y’all’s thoughts once more of you get your hands on this.
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epic report @NYCtoLA, thank you for taking the time to report back. can’t wait to try it.
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Amazing report. Thank you!
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Amazing, thank you for this.
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Thanks for such a long thoughtful report the attention to detail is truly next level!
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What an excellent first account of the Hayato Orizume! Accordingly, I shall schedule a leisurely night of munching to fully delight in a future Orizume experience.
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Incredible report! Thank you for taking the time and effort.
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beautiful break down - from my friends that have gotten it all they’ve told me is “it’s very good, lots of veggies for you” lol
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Hayato Bento Box + Pikunico Fried Chicken
No words @NYCtoLA! Makes my “I finally had the Hayato Bento Box!” seem anticlimactic. But… I finally had the Hayato Bento Box!
Each piece is meant to be contemplated & savored. So! thankfully, I also reserved one for the coming weekend, as this day was a study in distraction… starting with a morning in front of the magic wall, navigating the ROW as newbs in the windy cold, then coming across a hungry, little stray outside Pikunico that looked like an oreo and who the residents call Cookie (i sh_t you not) and her slightly bigger protector, Archie. Spay & Neuter, people!
Hubby wasn’t particularly interested in the Bento so we got him (ok and me too) some fried chicken from Pikunico…
What’s not to like? Good fry, crispy skin, moist meat, not too salty, no bells & whistles, just some good fried chicken.
Fingerling Fries w/Negi Salt
Thick, crispy, potato-ey… me want more negi salt.
Pikunico Slaw w/Sesame Vinaigrette
Crunchy fresh, tasty dressing.
Navigating a Sake menu was not in the cards this day.
Credit for snagging this prized bento goes to one of our senior seekers who improved my strategy and my odds, and one whose name I can’t mention… @PorkyBelly.
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what was your best bite?
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I’ll be able to better answer after getting to savor the 2nd box (thanks again), but so far, as much as I appreciate the perfect vegetables (the different preps!) - Chrysanthemum Greens, Sesame Sea Salt Cucumbers, Honshimeji Shrooms, Satsuma Sweet Potato & juicy Agedashi Eggplant, I must confess to loving the White Shrimp Shinjo 
, Snow Crab Tofu, Black Cod & both Tamagoyaki (especially the datemaki).
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Lunch Bentos with Sake and Howlin Rays sandwiches for Dinner with the fam all in one day. They were surprised by how filling they were (most couldn’t finish rice) though I had room to finish my cousin’s leftovers (Bento tasted great after an hour). You can imagine the shocked look my face made when my sister was about to throw my cousin’s leftovers to the trash!
The sandwiches were quite filling too. 3 girls were full from eating half a sandwich. I finished a whole sandwich and I could make room for another half. They described medium heat as enough spiciness to enjoy the sandwich though they probably won’t be able to enjoy spicier sandwiches, so I’ll try Medium instead of Mild next time. The order took nearly over an hour to arrive for 6 miles. I finally got Howlin Rays! I wanted one since January, but we got out of The Broad museum late so we couldn’t get to Howlin Rays in time.
2020 is almost over. Got to treat the special people in your life to something special.
I definitely have my eye on their dinner bentos.
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@lafoodie whoa I must have missed the invite. It’s ok I was out of town anyway.
You may need to find a new sister.
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