Have you heard of Shojin Ryori? It is traditionally known as a Buddhist vegan cuisine that originated in Japan. By using plant-based ingredients, zen cuisine emphasises simplicity and mindfulness. Shojin Ryori is also a common meal choice for monks as it aligns with their spiritual beliefs and promotes mindfulness and compassion towards all living beings. Regardless of religion, Shojin Ryori is widely enjoyed by vegetarians and health-conscious individuals.
Greeted by the Daruma upon entrance – A symbol of good luck and motivation
When I visited Komaki Shokudo during lunchtime, they had a limited menu which meant that I was determined to order something different to what my friend did. Their menu was also available in English – so don’t worry, you won’t be lost!
English menu is available!
As you can see, you can adjust the amount of rice serving, and you even have the option to change it to Azuki – brown rice if you would like to opt for a healthier choice; which did I choose?… the healthier option, of course!
Since my friend picked the Komaki set meal, I decided to order the Soymeat Karaage set meal. This set came with salad, Japanese pickled vegetables, rice ( I upgraded to Azuki -brown rice), miso and a side dish. I was delighted to see that the detailed side dish was bamboo shoot nimono. Since I visited Japan during Spring, it was also the perfect season for bamboo! Generally, I am used to tinned or vacuum-sealed bamboo in Sydney, so I was delighted to have some seasonal fresh bamboo shoots! It was all absolutely fabulous!
I found the vegan Tartae sauce somewhat sour, a typical flavour of vegan-based tartar. However, I must admit that it isn’t my most favourite flavour as I usually prefer a much stronger Kewpie mayo or nuts-based flavour instead. Despite this, the Karaage still had a great texture and flavour.
Soy meat Karaage set meal -¥1,430
My friend chose the Komaki set meal with “Fu” Katsu as the main. “Fu” is a Seitan food made from gluten, the main protein of wheat. It is also known as gluten meat. Japanese Fu is deep fried with panko and then served with Japanese BBQ sauce, having quite a nice texture. For the sides, it came with miso, rice, salad, one of the same side dishes from the Karaage set, and two different ones (Chinese mapo tofu-like flavoured veggies and eggplant with miso).
*The side dishes tend to change regularly; however, when we visited, the sides included were as mentioned above.
Komaki set meal – ¥1,320
I actually chose this restaurant because of its dessert menu. I was looking forward to trying the Matcha parfait and grilled dumplings and was daydreaming of grilling the dango at the table… but I never got to try them ?. This was because having the dessert menu during lunchtime needed to be BOOKED BEFOREHAND! Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try the dessert so…make sure to book the dessert beforehand to enjoy these beautiful Japanese vegan sweets!
The dessert menu – “credit to Komaki Syokudo”
*You can still order dessert during dinner without making a booking
Sadly, we had to finish off by having a drink. My friend ordered a hot coffee, and I chose the hot rooibos tea. You can also order black or green tea and choose to have it as an iced or hot version.
Coffee & Rooibos tea – ¥330 (part of a set bundle)
Overall, Komaki Shokudo was amazing! They not only had great prices for their food but were also so healthy! Of course, their Japanese vegan desserts were also absolutely fantastic! – even if I didn’t get to try them. I highly recommend you visit Komaki Syokudo if you are interested in enjoying an authentic Japanese meal.
WATCH MY TRIP TO KOMAKI SYOKUDO ON MY INSTAGRAM!
Komaki Shokudo Kamakura Fukushikian
Address: Inside 2CHABARA, 8 Kanda Renbemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0022
Website: https://www.kamakura-komaki.com
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