Ventura’s Backdoor Bento Provides Healthy and Tasty Lunch Options

Few things are better in summer than fresh sushi and a picnic in the sun. After noticing a lack of enticing lunch options in Ventura, the co-owners of Good Lion Hospitality, Brandon Ristaino and Misty Orman, are offering the perfect options to satisfy my summer afternoon dreams and the cravings of anyone just looking for a great lunch.

Their business partner co-Executive Chef Ryan Simorgankir came up with the idea to launch Backdoor Bento, a Japanese lunch box “pop-up” operating out of the kitchen of their cocktail bar and izakaya restaurant, Strange Beast.

“Misty and I visited Japan in September of last year and are back again early next year, and we really enjoyed the grab-and-go bento boxes ‘culture’ during our visit,” Ristaino said. “We work so much that we often skip lunch ‘break’, so bento boxes at the computer really suit our lifestyle.”

So whether you’re planning to take your box to the beach with a crisp beverage and a good friend as I did, or you’re simply strapped for time and looking for something nourishing and delicious, Backdoor Bento has you covered.

Each beautiful box contains cucumber sunomono, marinated egg, braised kombu, and your choice of protein options including, chashu pork belly, salmon flakes, roasted eggplant ‘unagi’ (vegan), spicy tuna, crab, scallop, or seafood trio.

The flavors and textures are perfectly balanced. I loved the umami taste of the marinated egg and braised kombu, the brightness and acidity of the cucumber salad, and the generous servings of protein. I opted for the seafood trio, and as soon as I took my first bite, immediately began to plot about how I could possibly get something similar for lunch each day in Santa Barbara.

Consisting of hearty helpings of scallops, spicy tuna and crab, the seafood trio option delighted my fish-loving palate, and I reveled in the quality with each bite.

“We source as locally as possible as much as we possibly can. Santa Barbara Fish Market is our primary seafood source,” Ristaino said.

Pair your lunch with one of their delightful sake, beer, or wine options to make the day extra special. Their choices are impressive; after all this is the couple behind many of the most well-loved cocktails bars in town. The crisp Sorgente Brut Prosecco adds a celebratory feel, or a cold can of green tea does wonders as well if you’re still ticking through the day’s list of to-do’s.

Backdoor Bento is offered daily from 12p.m.-  4p.m. and orders can be placed via Toast and picked up through the side door of Strange Beast on Oak Street. Delivery is also available through Uber Eats, DoorDash, and more.

“Our hope for Backdoor Bento is that it fills a niche in the Downtown Ventura lunch market, and that we retain as much support as we’ve already received for this fun pop-up so we can continue through the end of the year and through next year and the years to come,” Ristaino said.

Not only are the boxes super tasty, they’re artful and meticulously put together. Opening it feels like a present; like someone who loves you hand-crafted your lunch and sealed it up in an adorable box. The experience of entering through the side door of Strange Beast and into the unassuming kitchen where they greet you with a friendly smile and chopsticks to-go adds an extra layer of spontaneity and fun to the experience.

In the middle of a busy work week, Backdoor Bento is the box of joy we all need.