Maruichi Select — Restaurant in Brookline

I recently visited Maruichi, the newly transformed tea shop in Brookline, and I must say, it left me with mixed feelings. Let me start by highlighting the aspects that made this place my favorite destination for a soothing Japanese experience.

Maruichi Tea Shop has successfully captured the essence of Japan, providing visitors like myself with a much-needed healing space and a chance to recharge amidst a charming Japanese ambiance. The renewal of the old supermarket into a tea shop has truly been a welcome transformation. Upon entering, I was immediately transported to a serene environment that exuded a sense of tranquility. The atmosphere, coupled with the Japanese vibe, created a delightful setting for an enjoyable tea experience.

However, my otherwise pleasant visit took an unexpected turn due to a regrettable encounter with one of the employees. Sadly, this individual seemed to be unhappy and displayed a noticeable aggression that was quite unsettling. The employee's behavior escalated to the point where they did not hesitate to belittle and embarrass a customer—me.

I had ordered the Tunkatsu Teishoku, hoping to savor a freshly fried Tonkatsu. As the employee processed my credit card payment, I innocently looked around the shop. To my surprise, she abruptly called out to me, using a tone and attitude reminiscent of a strict teacher reprimanding a student. Her words and demeanor felt unnecessarily dominant, leaving me taken aback and slightly humiliated. I simply responded with a 'No' to her inquiry about additional items, yet she proceeded to interrogate me in a hostile manner, asking whether I intended to dine in or take my order to go.

This employee's behavior seemed out of place in the overall atmosphere of Maruichi Tea Shop. It was evident that she lacked an understanding of why people from other towns were drawn to this establishment. The essence of Maruichi lies in providing a haven where visitors can escape their daily worries, not encounter further distress due to unwarranted hostility.

While my experience with this particular employee left a bitter taste in my mouth, I sincerely hope that it was an isolated incident and not reflective of the entire staff's demeanor. Maruichi Tea Shop has the potential to be a top-notch destination for anyone seeking an authentic Japanese experience in Brookline. However, it is essential for the management to address such issues promptly and ensure that the overall quality of service aligns with the shop's intended ambiance.

Despite this unfortunate encounter, I would still recommend Maruichi Tea Shop to those who appreciate Japanese culture and are looking for a peaceful retreat. Hopefully, future visitors will encounter a more welcoming and accommodating environment, allowing them to fully enjoy the tranquility and charm that Maruichi...

Maruichi Select is a food court located across the street from Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli, its grocery store counterpart. Maruichi Select sells some things that are available at Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli, such as onigiri, but it also sells other things, such as ceremonial grade matcha and tea sets.

I tried a couple of the hot foods: Chashu & Ajitama and Spicy Karaage Onigiri ($4 each): I was disappointed by these because they were 90% rice. Because there was so little filling, I couldn't taste much of a difference between the two. The little chashu that I could taste was quite salty, and there wasn't any ajitama. Also, the spicy karaage was not spicy at all. Tonkatsu Teishoku ($14.99): Unfortunately, I wasn't able to eat this right away, so the tonkatsu was no longer crispy (if it was crispy at all). However, it tasted pretty good. I liked the tonkatsu sauce it came with, but I preferred the onigiri rice. Also, I don't think the price is worth it considering the kid's set meal is 1/3 the price but almost the same portion size. Kid's Karaage Set Meal ($4.99): This was for my nephew, so I didn't try it, but I will say it's a STEAL for the portion size.

Some other things I tried: Strawberry White Chocolate Donut from Anna's Donuts ($3.50): Expensive for the size and quite dry. Iced Matcha Latte with Oat Milk ($5.75): Pretty good. Smooth and not too sweet. Plum Tea: Refreshing, but the plum flavor is subtle. Reminds me of Teavana.

Overall, I was disappointed by the food, but I liked the vibes and the variety of the food offered. The place was quite busy, so the wait was long, but still worth...

Maruichi Select is a cafe with a small market area that is good for studying. This is located across the street from the Maruichi grocery store, which carries more robust options for groceries. There are some similarities in products they carry such as Onigiri, but Maruichi Select has a wider focus on meals such as Curry, Ramen, and Katsudon.

The area is very open, with a sizeable amount of seating located in the back, however it does get quite busy and may be difficult to find seating when coming here in the afternoon. The service is quite quick, even with a long line the food still came out within 10-15 minutes.

We tried the Matcha Strawberry Latte, the White Peach Shaved Ice, the Chashu + Egg, Karaage, and Spicy Karaage Onigiri. The Matcha Strawberry Latte was smooth and mixed quite well, and tasted not too sweet. The strawberry at the bottom helped add a bit of sweetness that wasnt too overwhelming. I don't like white peach at all, but the shaved ice was light and fluffy and did have a good peachy flavor. The highlight probably was the Onigiri. Compared to the Onigiri sold at the grocery stores, these ones were much larger, with a decent filling to rice ratio (though a bit more heavy on the rice side) for the price. The spicy karaage was my favorite, as it had a good amount of spices placed on it that weren't too overwhelming but gave it a bit of a kick.

Overall a great experience and I would highly recommend checking it out. They also do have pop-ups and other vendors tabling...