Ananda Jacobs - The 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...

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,...

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.

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.

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.

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)....

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.

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...

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.

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.

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)....

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.

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...

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...

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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,...

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