It’s easy to chuckle at the social media hyperbole of inbound travelers singing the praises of Japan’s gourmet konbini (convenience store) finds. The fact is — they're not wrong.
In stark contrast to what is available in equivalent establishments around the world, the quality found in a Japanese konbini is astounding, especially for budget-conscious shoppers. But all vacations eventually must end — what then is a konbini addict to do upon returning to their home country, with its subpar grab-and-go food options?
For anyone who has ever wanted to re-create konbini favorites like karaage-kun chicken to the steamed piza man (pizza bun), your dreams have been answered with “Konbini: Cult Recipes, Stories and Adventures from Japan’s Iconic Convenience Stores” (Smith Street Books, October 2024) by Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng.
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