Tomoe Bento, located at Denker Avenue and Redondo Beach Boulevard in Gardena, closed its doors on May 15. Owner Tomoko Yasuda, who is retiring after 32 years, said in a message to her customers, “This is to notify you that Tomoe Bento will be closing on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Thank you for your past business and support.” Tomoe Bento was the last tenant in a building that housed Meiji Market before it moved across the street to Pacific Square in the 1970s.
Specialties included oyako-don (above) and Bento Box A (below), which featured mini hamburger patty, chicken teriyaki, vegetable tempura, tamagoyaki, kamaboko, renkon, green bean gomaae, broccoli, potato salad, takenoko and carrot, marinated tofu, and rice, plus miso soup. By Saturday afternoon, all bentos were sold out.
Photos by JANIS HIROHAMA