What’s for sale at Sukoshi Mart, Kensington Market’s new Japanese convenience store

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“Most convenience store food in North America is questionable,” says Linda Dang, referring to our lackluster on-the-run options. While we’re used to sad 7-11 hot dogs and gas station jerky, Dang says that in Japan a person can live off what convenience stores sell, because they offer decent meals at reasonable prices. She’s brought that practice to Toronto with Sukoshi Mart, the new shop on Baldwin Street that she co-owns with Nancy Young. Dang says the name translates to “a small quantity,” and refers to the tiny, but well-curated store. At Sukoshi, Dang sells bento boxes, baked goods and other treats like onigiri and strawberry milk, all of which are made in house. On top of the many candies, chocolates, chips and crackers on offer, there are also some heartier dried goods like instant ramen (and a bunch of twee non-edible stuff, too). Here’s a look at what’s for sale.

There are a whole lot of fun snacks and dry goods:

Dry goods such as instant ramen. For days when you can’t be bothered to leave your home, these premium instant noodles from Marutai will do in a pinch. Dang recommends trying the blue package, which is nagazaki, a charcoal-grilled flying-fish shoyu:

And curry mixes:

These Japanese cereals were the hardest item to track down, and Sukoshi Mart’s now one of the few places you can find them in Toronto. Dang had to convince the Japanese manufacturer to sell them to her:

There’s a whole bunch of candy and chocolate, too:

Like these Chocoballs, chocolates filled with peanuts, strawberry or caramel:

Kit Kat bars come in flavours like matcha:

And this Doraemon bubble gum is ramune-flavoured:

These imported gummy candies boast an uncanny grape-like texture. It’s popular to freeze them before eating them:

Dang’s favourite item in the shop are these melonpans, popular Japanese breads that hard to find in Toronto. “Its one of the things I miss most from my trips to Japan,” says Dang. “It’s also a popular ‘anime’ bread used in a lot of movies and cartoons—it’s a cultural staple.”

House-made bento boxes come in dozens of permutations. This one has yakisoba (thick noodles in a tonkatsu sauce tossed with scallions, sesame, carrots, cabbage and kewpie mayo), soft boiled marinated eggs and smashed cucumbers:

This one has braised pork belly, rice and pan-seared gyoza:

Sukoshi also sells freshly baked treats like these mini taiyaki. They come filed with your choice of custard, green tea or red bean paste:

And these cheese tarts, which are baked fresh every morning:

Cold beverages include brightly coloured soda, as well as Premium Boss ice coffee:

There’s tea, pudding and strawberry milk, too:

There are only two seats in the shop, each with their own teeny tiny table. (There’s a kettle and microwave, too, so you can add boiling water to instant noodles or nuke your nosh on site.)

The wee room is also stocked with heaps of Korean skincare products, including face masks, lip balms and nourishing creams. These masks actually have dog faces printed onto them:

Dang loves any product with a cute mascot on the label. These Mediheal masks are super popular in Asia right now:

Nature Republic is Dang’s favourite skin line. “I have eczema, and it doesn’t irritate my skin,” she says:

There’s a nook filled with Gudetama paraphernalia. Dang loves quirky stationary:

An entire shelf of adorable socks featuring Sailor Scouts, Pokémon, doughnuts and more:

And a bunch of these cute Studio Ghibli figurines, too:

Behind the cash, are prints of Studio Ghibli characters hanging out in ramen bowls and other food-related scenarios:

Here’s the entire space:

160 Baldwin Ave., sukoshimart.com, @sukoshimart