Thursday, February 9, 2017

Very Affordable Weekday Lunch Combo in Japan

     I sometimes read Japanese celebrities' blogs in Japanese. :) Last month, I was surprised that ones of Japanese celebrities went to Gust (ガスト), a Japanese casual restaurant chain, to have lunch. The reason why I was surprised was that their weekday lunch combo is really affordable! The lunch combo is only 499 yen, which is equivalent to $4.50. Just keep in mind that current tax is 8% in Japan, so it's going to be 539 yen ($4.81) for weekday lunch combo. However, there is no tipping in any situation in Japan. You can enjoy delicious lunch and chat with your friends at a restaurant for as long as you want, and it just costs 539 yen! I thought that it's super inexpensive!
Gusto Restaurant

     Their lunch combos look so delicious! The combo includes rice (or bread) and soup. Moreover, you can have their soup as much as you want without an extra fee.
Gusto Restaurant's Weekday Lunch Combo
1. Hamburg Steak, Fried Eggplant with Chinese Chili Sauce, Salad, Rice and Soup
2. Tandoori Chicken, Deep-fried Tuna, Salad Rice and Soup
Gusto Restaurant's Weekday Lunch Combo
3. Wafu Hamburg Steak, Basil Sausage, Cream Korokke, Salad, Rice and Soup
4. Deep-fried Chicken, Deep-fried Fish, Salad, Rice and Soup




       Bamiyan (バーミヤン), another Japanese casual restaurant chain, is also offering their lunch combo for only 599 yen! Bamiyan is a Japanese Chinese restaurant. They might not serve authentic Chinese foods, but I like Japanese Chinese foods which are less greasy than Chinese foods. Indeed, my former colleagues and I sometimes went to Bamiyan to have dinner after work, and I really liked their foods. :) 
Bamiyan Restaurant
      Their lunch combo also includes rice and soup. All of them look so delicious, but I want to choose number 2, Chicken Namban (チキン南蛮) and Boiled Gyoza (水餃子). :)
Bamiyan Restaurant Lunch Combo
1.  Deep-fried Chicken with Chili Sauce, Chinese Steamed Dumplings, Shredded Cabbages, Rice and Soup
2. Chicken Nanban, Boiled Gyoza, Shredded Cabbages, Rice and Soup
3. Tonkatsu, Boiled Gyoza, Spring Roll, Shredded Cabbages, Rice and Soup
4. Tatsutaage, Deep-fried Fish, Kimuchi, Shredded Cabbages, Rice and Soup
5. Menchi-Katsu, Spring Roll, Meat Balls, Shredded Cabbages, Rice and Soup


     These lunch combos are 699 yen and includes rice, soup and pickles.
Bamiyan Restaurant Lunch Combo


        Some years ago, my Iranian friend told me that Japanese people must be very rich because she had sometimes seen Japanese tourists in her home country, but I thought she was talking about old Japan. Until 1991, Japanese economy had significantly improved, and many Japanese people suddenly became wealthy. However, it was just economic bubble in Japan. In 1992, the price bubble collapsed. Since then, the Japanese economy's decline has been continued for over a decade. When I was a little, most foods at restaurants in Japan were a little more expensive than now. When I find incredibly low prices of Japanese products and services, I don't know these are good things for Japan. Maybe, consumers are happy with low prices, but it's the fact that deflation still continues there. When I lived in Japan, my coworker who was over 10 years older than me told me that when she was 18, it was middle of economic bubble. She told me, "Everyone was wealthy back then. When I hanged out with friends in Osaka, a man I just met and had dinner with gave me 100,000 yen (about $892) for taxi fee even though it actually cost only 2,000 yen (about $18). (Which meant that the $874 was just a present for her!) Now, nobody uses taxi because people want to save money." I was surprised at her real story of Japanese economic bubble.  When I was a little, Japanese economy bubble collapsed, so I have never experienced such a thing in Japan. Even though Japan is not an economically wealthy country anymore, medical fees are very affordable, and crime rate is significantly low. Cost of living in Japan is cheaper than in the U.S. Beside all, you can have delicious Japanese foods at very affordable prices. Over all, I think Japan is one of the best places to live. :)  You can check out my previous entry, Why Do You Love Japan?




     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.
 

    My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.

    My entries related to Japan can be seen here.


    My entries related to cooking can be seen here.

    My entries related to my favorite recipes can be seen here.

    My entries related to foods my husband cooked can be seen here.



       These are also my entries you might like.
■Why Do You Love Japan?

■Japanese Drugstore Shopping List - 6 Best Japanese Products You Can Purchase at Drugstore in Japan!

■Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Japanese Supermarkets (for Beginners!)

■Top 10 Products You Should Buy at Daiso

■My Top 15 Must Eat Foods in Japan - My Favorite Japanese Foods

■Top 10 Most Popular Japanese Foods

■8 Interesting Japanese Kitchen Gadgets!

■My Top 10 Favorite Japanese Snacks

■My Top 10 Favorite Japanese Sweets



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