Peter D.
Yelp
I've enjoyed Ten-Ichi's ramen (from Ten-Ichi Ramen next door, naturally) for some time now, but last week was my first foray into their newly opened little grocery store.
And I love it.
I've never been to Japan, but I imagine this is the sort of place about which some New Yorker who has been to Japan once would say, "I've been to Japan, and it's just like the store we went to there, and I am totally not saying that just to brag about how I've been to Japan before!"
But that's neither here nor there.
Ten-Ichi is here (not there), and they've got so much great stuff! There's all kinds of ready-to-eat food like Japanese pastry, grab and go sushi, onigiri, boba, takoyaki, etc. Of the real food (non-snacks) so far I've only had the sushi (they've got staples like spicy tuna, eel avocado, California rolls, etc.), but it was actually quite tasty and fresh.
The fridges are packed with produce and ingredients (quality miso!), and the freezers are full of dumplings, okonomiyaki, mochi, and other treats. There's beauty products, pantry staples, and a shockingly large variety of dried noodles and rice and soup base and more in the aisles...my kid grabbed one package from the stroller (tonkatsu ramen because she's got good taste) and insisted we buy it, so I'll let you know how it is.
Also, all the people working here are so nice and friendly. The wonderful woman behind the counter got super excited (1) that my kid smiled at her (understandable since she's the World's Most Adorable Child) and (2) that the white girl in front of me spoke Japanese. It was cute, and I only felt kind of bad that I didn't speak Japanese...but not because of the counter lady! She's super nice.
Basically, I really love this place, and I'm looking forward to trying all the tasty-looking stuff all over the store.