Chop Bento enters the Oxford food scene

Located next to Bodega on High Street, Chop Bento is a brand new restaurant in Oxford. It offers a fresh take on modern Asian cuisine, featuring a diverse menu with something for everyone.

I stopped in for their grand opening this past Wednesday, and it started off great. The lady who greeted me was very helpful and made sure all my questions were answered. After browsing the menu, I decided to go for the chicken katsu bento box with white rice.

The chicken katsu bento box was $13.99 and came with steamed rice, mixed vegetables and clear egg drop soup with seaweed. Chop Bento offers both dine-in and takeout options, but I chose to take mine home. Each part of my meal came neatly packaged in its own container, which made everything easy to unpack and enjoy.

I started with the egg drop soup. It was pretty lukewarm, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt, since I took it to-go. I always enjoy a light, clear soup to start any Asian meal, and this one was a comforting, classic choice.

Next up was the chicken katsu, served with Tonkatsu — a thick, tangy and slightly sweet Japanese-style brown sauce. The chicken was tender, and the outside layer was crispy. It was a great dish and the star of the show. It was even better with some of the steamed rice. The bento box also included a side of seaweed salad, which added a nice, refreshing touch.

Inside, the restaurant had a sleek, modern look and felt very clean and inviting. All of the staff working were nice and welcoming, and as a sweet gesture, they even gave me an extra soup to thank me for stopping by during their grand opening.

Overall, Chop Bento is a great new spot in Oxford and a cozy place to enjoy modern Asian cuisine. I will definitely be going back to try some of their other menu options.

Overall score: 9/10

craverhj@miamioh.edu