Originally Posted by
AlwaysAisle
Yes, it is Ebisuya at Medford. Wow, you know the Japanese grocery store used to be located at Central? I lived at Boston long time ago, then moved to Los Angeles (Hermosa Beach, yes, I was a beach bum
) for 15 years, and now I am back at Boston. Japanese grocery store at Central dates back to when I was at Boston pre Los Angeles time.
Yes, Ebisuya is doing well. Pretty much it is weekend if I go there but always busy. Once I read an interview article about the owner of Ebiisuya on local Boston newspaper, the owner said when the Japanese grocery store at Central closed Boston was in a situation of not having Japanese grocery store at all. The owner started Ebisuya then. I never thought about Medford location of Ebisuya not accessible by T, true if no car then it is not easy place to access. Selection at Ebisuya is good, pretty much can find what needed. Ebisuya now has made to order sushi and bento stand. Sushi is make your own selection, bento listing are tonkatsu (pork cutlet), aji fry (fried mackerel), chicken karaage (Japanese fried chicken), and Japanese curry rice. Those are all made to order. I think sushi made to order is good, even if I include ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin) sushi with 10 pieces come out to be around $25. At local so called "sushi restaurant" sushi regular will likely be repeat of salmon, tuna, salmon, tuna, salmon, tuna and California roll...
As far as Japanese grocery stores and restaurants scene at Boston is concerned today, beside Ebisuya at Medford this February Japanese grocery store at Hartford, CT called
Maruichi opened at Brookline. Maruichi Brookline is right at Coolidge Corner of Green Line C, Cleveland Circle Line. Maruichi is accessible by T and selections look like not much different from Ebisuya. Maruichi has small food court setting with Brooklyn Ramen.
As for Japanese restaurants at Boston, small Japanese shops at Porter Exchange building at Porter Square is still there. Popular izakaya style restaurant
Ittoku used to be located at Brighton moved to Porter Exchange end of last year. Santouka (山頭火) is at Harvard, there is also Totto (鳥人) ramen, is this also from Japan? I know there is Totto ramen at New York City. Udon restaurant Tsurutontan from New York City opened at Kenmore Square. Also, FuGaKyu restaurant at Brookline used to be popular with Japanese, what I heard is that about ten years ago there was Japanese TV drama and actress Hitomi Kuroki's character lived at Boston and Hitomi Kuroki's character worked at FuGaKyu restaurant in the drama. But looks like this "boom" has die down now and there are far less Japanese tourists at this restaurant today.
Glad to hear that Ebisuya is doing well. You know the one at Central?! That was where I went the most!
I spent some time in Boston, until 8-10yrs ago. When I got there, we had the Japan center (with Kotobukiya market) at Porter, Cherry Mart on Newbury, that Japanese market in Central, Reliable Market in Somerville (Korean owned, but the items there were mostly Japanese) and also the one in Central.
During the time I was in Boston, I think every single one of those grocery stores closed except for Reliable.
I have not heard of Maruichi, but Coolidge Corner is a great location for Jpn grocery store. I think Coolidge Corner is the absolute best urban area in all of Boston with lots of foot traffic. Tons of Japanese people there, many of them doing things at Longwood Medical. Plus everyone who lives in Coolidge Corner are health-concious and culturally savvy, so I bet Japanese store would do great there. But I hope it doesn't take business away from Ebisuya too much. I cannot believe that a japanese grocery store existed in Hartford, as I wouldn't have thought there're many Japaense living there.
I don't know any of the restaurants you mention, except Santouka is a chain that definitely did not exist in Boston when I was there. And I know Fugakyu... they were not very good back then. I don't go to Japanese restaurants in USA much at all, but we did used to go to Minado buffet in Natick and then there was also Oga Restaurant in Natick that I'd take my parents to when they'd visit. Have you been to Oga?
Oh there was a restaurant called Shiro way out near Hudson/Marlborough. It was actually owned by Japanese people. Oddest location for a Japanese restaurant owned/operated by Japanese. I didn't think they were that good, but other Japanese people swore by that place. Do you know that one?
(sorry to others for this trip down Boston memory lane)
Originally Posted by
AlwaysAisle
Talk about kakiage, this is frozen kakiage I bought at Ebisuya Japanese grocery store at Medford (just north of Boston).
I don't know if the one I mentioned from Trader Joe's is any better than the one you bought from Ebisuya. But I bet it's cheaper.
I'd like to recommend you try the one from Trader Joe's. Again it's in the frozen section and it's called Bird's Nest.
Trader Joe's Vegetable Bird's Nests Review ? Freezer Meal Frenzy