New Discovery

Recently I discovered a place in Cambridge that I never knew existed. It's called The Porter Exchange Mall and it's located in where else, Porter Square. For those who would like to visit Japan but just can't afford the airfare or outrageous prices, the PEM is the answer! There are roughly 10 shops and restaurants/cafes in the PEM, all with a Japanese flavor. Here is a link to the Porter Exchange Website



When I go to the PEM I visit many stores, but my personal favorite is the Kotobukiya Market. Although it's relatively small in size, it's HUGE in content. If they sell it in Japan, most likely you will find it here. My Wife Jaime and I have gone a number of times to buy one of our favorite Japanese treats, Daifuku Mochi. For those that are not familiar with Mochi, it's basically a ball of rice. Daifuku Mochi are special in that they are filled with something in the middle. The traditional filling is "An" which is sweetened Azuki Beans. They are very very tasty, and at 270 calories each they are also very very dangerous!

Some other things we like to buy are Japanese candy like Pocky. Pocky are very skinny bread sticks with a chocolate coating. Also very tasty, but not as bad for you as mochi.

One of the most interesting things to buy at Kotobukiya are the Japanese sodas. One of my favorites is called "Ramune." The special thing about Ramune is not the drink itself, but the bottle it comes in. First of all, it comes in a glass bottle. Right off the bat, that's different. When was the last time you saw glass soda bottles, other then those limited edition coke bottles? The really unique feature though is how you open it. First you begin by removing the plastic top, which later becomes the "opener." Underneath the plastic top is the top of the bottle itself, but the hole you would normally see is sealed with a "marble", of all things? Somehow they use a marble to seal the opening of the bottle, so in order to open it you use the plastic "opener" you just removed and press down on the marble. When the marble releases it makes a loud noise and drops into a small chamber just below the opening. Now you can enjoy the soda. The bottle is designed in such a way that you can't swallow the marble, but instead it jiggles around in the special holding chamber. It's very hard to describe in writing, but that's the basic idea. If you ever visit Kotobukiya, buy a Ramune but be careful, if opened the wrong way you'll spray yourself with soda!

There are also a number of restaurants/cafes in the mall. While I have only eaten at one, I really enjoy looking at the menus. The typical fare is, you guessed it, Japanese but not the type of Japanese food you would expect. While they do offer the basics, sushi, noodles, etc. the really good stuff are the "homestyle" meals. These are dishes that you would normally find at any run of the mill restaurant or household in Japan. Most consist of a plate of rice, some meat, a fried egg, and curry sauce poured on top. It's pretty basic fare, nothing too fancy. At some point I'll actually try one of the homestyle meals and follow up with a review, so look forward to that. The other fun part about going to these homestyle restaurants is that they almost always speak Japanese, unless you look American, then they accommodate you. It's fun to hear the language spoken as it would in Japan. It makes the experience that much more authentic.















In addition to restaurants and shops, there is one bakery that sells awesome baked goods! A favorite of Jaime's and myself are the "An Pan", or rolls filled with An. Unless you get there as soon as they are delivered, the buns are a little cold. There's nothing like popping them into the microwave for a few seconds and eating them that way, mmmmm....mmm.

Well, that's my review of the Porter Exchange Mall. If you're ever in Porter Square, stop in for a look. And remember, tell them I sent you! (actually don't do that, they won't know what the hell you're talking about?!?!)