Dining Review: Jaywalking For Bento Boxes And Ice Cream Shakes

It’s time to get rebellious and even illegal for the sake of a good lunch. Sometimes, you have to do some radical things to truly enjoy food in our neighborhood.

So, we recommend jaywalking.

Ok, perhaps we can’t condone such behavior. After all, it can be downright dangerous not to observe traffic lights, signs, and vehicles.

But I’ll admit that I did it. And gentle readers, I’d do it again. For the sake of a good lunch, of course.

What better way to enjoy a lunch than getting a bento box special and delicious dessert two-shot? That’s what we recommend today.

On one side of the street: Mura (369 5th Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets), a Japanese restaurant which has been open for almost a decade.

On the opposite side of the street, roughly 35 paces away: Corner of Vermont (374 5th Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets), the (almost) everything Green Mountain state mecca, and the place to love your maple.

Your jaywalking rebellion starts off with a Bento Box lunch special at Mura. At $9.50, you have 10 options to choose from, including tofu, veggie, chicken, beef, salmon — the list goes on.

Both the salmon and tonkatsu (pork cutlet) bento boxes were solid. The salmon was soft, accented by a savory sauce. The tonkatsu is breaded without being oily.

The bento boxes are generous in portion. Each comes with a salad, miso soup, three pieces of shumai, a California roll, as well as white or brown rice.

We added an ume/shiso ($3.75) which is a pickled plum sushi roll. It’s a mixture of tart and tangy. My tastebuds didn’t take to it, but my lunch date — far more seasoned in Japanese food — enjoyed this more traditional option.

The outdoor space is a boon for diners in the warm weather. We went on an overcast day, and opted for eating inside. But keep this option in mind.

In the spirit of honesty, Mura is not sublime Japanese food. It’s solid — certainly a good choice for an afternoon lunch. And the bento box special is a treat.

And now the jaywalking begins. All for the love of a good dessert. And my, was it worth every one of the 35 steps it took to get there.

Owner Mark Hastings opened Corner of Vermont (374 5th Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets) about 18 months ago. He considers himself a farmer as well as a small business owner in Park Slope. Since the beginning we’ve championed their Maple Cremee, a tradition recipe which is a mix of soft-serve ice cream and maple sugar served in a cup or waffle cone. We’ve also touted their Vermonter Hot Dog and Pulled Pork Sandwich. And this is the place to get your grilled cheese fix as well.

And if you’re scoring at home, COV came in 39 out of 100 on Yelp’s “Top 100” List For Brooklyn Restaurants. It’s not just us.

So we wanted to try something a little different. That in mind, Hastings mixed up a concoction that is absolutely delicious.

We split a Saffron, Vanilla, and Cardamom Shake ($7). The flavor is hard to describe — you just have to go taste it. The saffron-cardamom combo along with creamy vanilla and milk is just — well, it should be a thing. It’s our thing for now, and we recommend making it yours.

And chatting with Hastings while he mixes up the magic is as sweet as the maple products he sells.

So is the Mura/COV combo worth a jaywalking ticket? While we don’t recommend you doing anything illegal, yes it is indeed.

We’re just in a mischievous mood this summer. We already told you we’d risk a $25 fine to have a beer with you if you invited us onto your stoop.

Be safe. Be hungry. Be sweet.

The Jaywalking Bento Box Rundown: Mura
Where: 369 5th Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets
Phone: 718-683-5875
Lunch Special Hours: Mondays-Fridays, 11:30am-4pm
Regular Hours: Mondays-Thursdays, 11am-11pm; Fridays-Saturdays, 11am-12am; Sundays, 4pm-10:30pm.
Kid Friendly? Yes — high chairs available and plenty of room.

The Jaywalking Dessert Rundown: Corner of Vermont
Where: 374 5th Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets
Phone: 347-844-9288
Hours: Mondays-Fridays, 11am-10pm; Saturdays-Sundays, 10am-10pm
Kid Friendly? Yes — because hot dogs, ice cream, and grilled cheese are crowd pleasers.