Tag - the-persistent-vegetarian

 
 

THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN

Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Nov 27, 2015
Restaurant 8ablish: Tokyo finally perfects the art of vegan dining
I've been dreaming of a place that serves mouth-watering vegan food, with creations so divinely tasty, that whether you eat meat or not is inconsequential. A place where those unaccustomed to vegan food won't feel they're limiting themselves because there would be no sense of anything "missing." A place where one could relax and appreciate expertly crafted original cuisine.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Oct 23, 2015
Vegan ramen isn't just for women on a diet
In the four years since it opened, ramen chain Soranoiro has garnered widespread praise — and for good reason. In addition to its standard shoyu and shiō-based ramen, it also offers more adventurous concoctions including ramen with sudachi (Japanese citrus), umi-budō (sea grapes) or, unbelievably, white chocolate.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Sep 25, 2015
Chasing rennet-free cheeses across Tokyo
Japan's image of quality cheese has remained firmly attached to fine European imports. Processed sliced cheeses of the Kraft variety are ubiquitous, but for the "real" stuff you'd be smart to visit an international supermarket for a decent selection.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Aug 21, 2015
The best ways for vegetarians to get tied up with summer noodles
There seems to be a noodle shop almost everywhere you look in Japan. All varieties can be had at almost any hour and any cost. They may be ubiquitous, but appreciating different noodles as the seasons change from hot to cold is what makes them special.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Jul 24, 2015
Embrace the avocado sushi abomination
In the basement of a building connected to Tokyo's Shibuya Station is a branch of the popular sushi chain Tsukiji Sushisay (tsukijisushisay.co.jp). The counter seats are lively on a Friday night with beer and sake flowing freely and jovial chefs expertly constructing custom sushi orders.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Jun 26, 2015
Devil's tongue jelly burgers are heaven for vegetarians in Tokyo
The gentle heat of early summer has me seizing every opportunity to dine outside on Tokyo's terraces. One recent afternoon in Tokyo's Hiroo neighborhood, I stumbled across the wonderfully rustic Hawaiian chain restaurant Aloha Table (2F 5-15-14 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo; 03-6447-7360; hiroo.alohatable.com). Though it offers a number of healthful options, such as avocado eggs benedict or the Detox Bowl with a "superfood" topping, and also serves pancakes, rice plates and vegetable tapas (there's a more extensive dinner menu with some veggie options), I only had time for a juice. I ordered the first brightly colored concoction that popped out at me — carrot-ginger juice — and savored a few moments on the cool and spacious terrace.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
May 22, 2015
Piman juice bar also squeezes out some great dishes
I have professed my love for beer and cheese numerous times in this column, and always look forward to the next kushiage (deep-fried kebabs) or pizza outing. I admit, I'm not always the healthiest of vegetarians.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Apr 24, 2015
In search of Tokyo's vegetarian bentōs
In the TV industry, bentō (boxed lunches) come with the territory, and, in my years here, I've seen nearly every type of bentō you could imagine. They are, however, often ordered in bulk and usually contain some kind of meat or fish. Still, to refuse a bentō on set (in favor of eating your own packed lunch or running to the nearest convenience store) means it will go to waste, so I've spent many breaks between takes picking through the edible bits and handing off the meat to hungry fellow actors.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Mar 24, 2015
A perpetual quest for the perfect veggie burger
The "Big Three" in veggie burger making are tofu, beans and mushrooms. Japan prides itself on tofu — and by extension beans — and mushroom varieties are a mainstay of the nation's cuisine. So it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that Japan cooks up a variety of veggie burgers.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Feb 24, 2015
Indian fare adds spice to vegetarian dining
While it's easy to trust that almost every Indian restaurant will have plenty for a vegetarian to eat — and you can often ask for an all-vegetarian meal by request — it's an incomparable delight when the menu is entirely made up of vegetarian choices.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Jan 27, 2015
Toss in some 'takana' to liven up any dish
Vegetarians in Japan will quickly learn that there are two common options for the filling inside the nori-wrapped onigiri (rice balls) found in convenience stores: umeboshi (pickled plum) or kombu (seaweed — though I recently read that even certain types of prepared kombu might contain some fish extract).
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Dec 24, 2014
Le Pain Quotidien serves up a hearty, organic vegetarian lunch
I try not to over-associate being vegetarian with being somehow fancy or trendy — organic-diet this or macrobiotic that. While I prefer to think of it as a rather everyday lifestyle, the oshare (hip) association in Japan runs strong.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Nov 25, 2014
Pass the sauce: Turkish meze makes for a meal
I know it's meant to be enticing. But the scent of roasting meat on a stick — a staple ingredient of the Turkish street-food doner kebab, found in many popular Tokyo neighborhoods — is enough to have me crossing the street just to avoid the wafting smell, or else holding my breath as I walk by the friendly vendor.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Oct 21, 2014
Self-cooked hot pot is a veggie's fall dream
Raw ingredients and a boil-it-yourself approach are the saving graces of the otherwise meat-oriented staples of nabe (hot pot). Hinabe is a Chinese-style version (sort-of — the history is complicated) that can be found all over Japan, and its multiple broths are the perfect steamy concoction for a chilly fall evening.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Sep 23, 2014
Veggie ramen broth that's as clear as your conscience
A ramen aficionado might scoff at the idea of a meatless broth. That pork or chicken essence, I'm told, is what gives ramen its characteristic hearty kick. There are, however, a handful of brave shops around Tokyo that can hold their own against those meaty bowls any day.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Aug 26, 2014
Buddhist dining in unexpected places
I've been aware of shōjin ryōri (traditional vegetarian Buddhist cuisine) for some time. I've had in my mind the image of a Buddhist practitioner painstakingly preparing the seasonal vegetarian dishes, mindful of each ingredient. And from time to time I have vaguely recalled that if I wanted to try it I could do so at a handful of temples around Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Jul 22, 2014
Defying old habits with Taiwanese faux-meat
I happen to be one of those vegetarians who has never developed even an inkling of a taste for meat. It was thus one of the most bizarre culinary experiences I could have imagined to bite into a juicy, steaming dumpling of flesh — albeit fake flesh — during a recent dining experiment.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Jun 24, 2014
Deep-fried veggies are happiness on a stick
Summer evenings are here, and so are the slow hours spent cooling off with a cold beer and crisp fried vegetables at a kushiage restaurant.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
May 27, 2014
Sansho, spice and other seasonings nice
In the hunt for vegetarian-friendly fare in Japan, it's easy to forget that what often makes the dish is not the main ingredient but the seasoning.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / THE PERSISTENT VEGETARIAN
Apr 22, 2014
In search of the fruits of Okinawa's oceans
Seven years ago, I bit into a delicate variety of seaweed called umi-budō, or "sea grapes." I remember sampling a few dishes at Unjami, an Okinawan-style izakaya off Nakano Broadway in Tokyo (5-55-1 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo; 03-5345-5836), but the umi-budō stood out as something special. These tiny, grape-like beads are eaten fresh with vinegar sauce, and are unforgettable once you've had them.

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A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world