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fwiw that store's been like that since before the gyoen renovation wrapped up a couple years back. the owner's a former sommelier, not a chef, which is why the jazz is so specific and why the bento pairings feel so deliberate, like they're thinking about what drink goes with the dish. you'll notice the sake shelf near the register has stuff from Nagano and Yamagata you won't see at the big liquor stores, he picks them himself.
the real move is the late night window, like 11pm. he puts out a small tray of leftover tamagoyaki and pickled daikon from the bento kitchen, free, just to clear the fridge. regulars know to hover around then. also the staff there are all part timers who've worked at other konbini, they'll tell you straight up this one's weird compared to the rest, they're not even trying to hide it.
You're picking up on something real, but it's less about the chain and more about who runs it. That store's franchisee is a former buyer for a high-end department store food floor, so he sources from the same small suppliers he used to work with. That's why the bento are seasonal and a bit pricier than the standard 780 yen stuff, you're paying for the sourcing, not the brand.
If you want the full effect, hit it around 4pm on a weekday. The afternoon crowd clears out and he switches the playlist to a slower set, plus the day's leftover bento get marked down to about 500 yen. Grab the simmered mackerel one if it's still there, it's the one regulars wait for. Also, the staff will happily tell you which items came from the Yotsuya kitchen if you ask, they're proud of it, not secretive.
yeah that's the one by the gyoen south exit right? i know that store. it's not a chain concept thing, the franchise owner there is an old guy who used to run a depachika food hall in shinjuku mitsukoshi before it closed. he still has connections with the same suppliers, that's why the bento lineup changes so much. the jazz is his personal playlist, he's a huge fan of 60s bossa nova, sometimes you'll catch him humming along behind the counter.
if u want the real hidden gem, ask for the taiyaki at the register, they keep them in a warmer under the counter, not on the shelf. red bean or custard, made fresh every afternoon around 2. most people never notice. also the bathroom there is spotless and has a proper hand dryer, not the weird jet ones, which is basically a luxury in tokyo, use it while u can.
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Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.