I was looking for a place to work after work because I wasn't going straight home. Let's face it, I won't work once I get home, and I have a lot to catch up on. I searched for cafés on Google (I'm sorry, Yelp!), filtered by "open now" and found this place, which I hadn't heard of before. It only had about ten reviews, and all of them were glowing, so I knew I had to stop by. It is so rare to find a café that stays open late!
I've noticed a few newer Japanese restaurants and cafés around Boston that are Thai-owned, including Little L Bakery and Maguro, and I've really enjoyed them. I chatted with Poppy, who may be one of the owners, and she said they also own Kokoro Don in Somerville. They wanted to expand while maintaining the same quality, despite not having a full kitchen at this café.
When you walk in, Japanese pop is playing and there are three people behind the counter. Everything is bright, clean, gold and white, and very kawaii. They are still in their soft opening, and there were fans running to keep the area ventilated and cool, but they told me they had only been open for about a week. Even so, people were already coming in to pick up orders while I was deciding what to get.
You can place an order by scanning a QR code posted on the window, but there is also a computerized ordering station with photos, which makes everything very easy. The drinks could perhaps use a little more description, but the system is still very handy.
I ordered an iced hojicha latte with oat milk ($7.50, a little pricey, but I think that is becoming the going rate in Boston for good hojicha; I don't see hojicha offered as much as matcha, so I jumped on the opportunity), a Kokoro inari with spicy ebi ($4.95), and a spicy salmon onigiri made with cooked salmon ($4.20).
The rice was fresh, and everything was delicious. The spicy ebi was warm and crunchy, with plenty of spicy mayo. For a moment, the hojicha latte tasted almost like it had a little condensed milk in it, which was a nice way to balance the nuttiness of the hojicha. It was not too sweet or too milky, which I really appreciated. Possibly not the smartest thing to drink at 6:30 p.m., though, because I feel like I am going to go flying soon. (Who needs Red Bull when you've got hojicha? WHEEEEEE!)
The packaging was attractive, although the container for my single inari pocket felt a little excessive. I ate it at the café because there was no way it would have survived the bike ride home.
What really surprised me was the attention to quality and sustainability. Gluten-free tamari packets? Decent chopsticks that I am actually going to take home, wash, and reuse? (Don't judge me, pal.) Sturdy paper compostable straws? Wooden takeaway boxes? It felt noticeably different from many other establishments I have visited.
I'm very glad to have this little gem in my neighborhood and I will be going back to try their matcha. read more