veggie adventure IV: vegan healing cafe

 Losing no time in my new project, Monday saw another visit to a veggie place in Tokyo - this time Vegan Healing Cafe in Shibuya! Unlike many other places, it was easy to find on a little side street, and it was more funky and cool than the previous ones.

The interior design was simple and reminded me of a roadside cafe in the middle of nowhere, with a few metallic tables and chairs in patio style (room for maybe 10 guests at once), plus two tables outside facing the street, a lighting bringing to mind the unflattering 60W you'd encounter in a cheaper place.

There is, however, nothing cheap (except the food) about the Vegan Healing Cafe. The style is consistent, and along the far end wall, underneath the shelves with vegan/vegetarian cookbooks are two old-school LP-record apparatuses, playing soft music. Now and then the LP will stop, and the owners have to go restart it. As we have our orders in, soon a lovely scent travels from the adjacent kitchen and we can hear the two guys working behind the wall.

Vegan Healing Cafe serves no fish, no meat, no dairy, no egg, nor honey. It's therefore 100% vegan and a rare find in this city of fish. In addition to that, thanks the reasonable prices, it is (as far as I can gather from reviews, blogs etc) hugely appreciated by foreign vegans in Tokyo. After this visit, I can definitely see why!

The menu was not too extensive but for a small place, that's expected. It offered dishes ranging from curry to falafel burgers, and all dishes are served with brown rice. All dishes are at 950 yen (= ~83 SEK) each. There is also a dessert menu with for example chocolate gateau and pound cake - both entirely vegan of course! No dessert for yours truly today, sadly.

Thus to the food itself!

Deep-fried soy meat served with brown rice, sweet sauce, small salad, tofu and artichoke (?) mix, and grilled vegetable mix. Despite it being deep-fried, it was not too heavy, and together with the sauce it was lush! On the table were two containers with kuroi goma salt (black sesame), and once again we emptied both of them. Too good!

Bean stew with brown rice, the tofu/artichoke mix, and salad. Rich, warming, nice flavours - just lovely.

Falafel burger with brown rice, tofu/artichoke, grilled veg, sauce, and salad. A tad healthier than your typical burger (well...deep-fried...) as it's served without bun. The flavour was so rich and really falafel-y in lack of other expression. Excellent, excellent food!

When you are accompanied by two carnivores, you never know what their reaction will be - but I think both of my friends enjoyed this place. For me, well, I was in heaven.

Link with menu + directions: http://www.vegancafe.jp/

Jo x