Afuri, a counter-style ramen restaurant in Nakameguro that serves 100% plant-based bouillon, is located just a few steps from the cherry blossom-lined Meguro River. The broth is slowly simmered for hours with celery, dried onions, and tomatoes to create a deeply umami flavour that belies the light appearance. Sovani sees the Rainbow Vegan Ramen a celebration for Japan’s changing season. In spring, the noodles are topped with crunchy radish (rapeseed), snap peas and nanohana, while in summer they’re topped off with grilled bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatos, and sweet carrots. The bowl changes with the seasons, from roasted kabocha, earthy shiitake mushroom, and sweet carrots during autumn to steamed brocolli, purple turnips and hearty Chinese cabbage in winter. Sovani recommends arriving in the mid-afternoon hours to avoid peak rush hour at lunch and dinner.
8. Hemp Cafe Tokyo Shibuya
Hemp Cafe Tokyo, located in Shibuya’s neon-lit core, serves innovative yakiniku grilled-sushi. The laid-back, industrial-chic space uses charcoal-infused rice in order to reinvent plant-based Japanese staples. Chef Sovani orders the yakiniku style grilled sushi here, which includes soy bean, homemade kimchi and carrot. vegetable Hemp charcoal rice with smoky yakiniku and mayonnaise. Kale, seaweed and smoky yakiniku. He says that if he wants to treat himself on the weekend, he likes to order the Crispy Fried Mushroom Burger with a fluffy brioche and pair it with green ginger ale or a soymilk chocolate cake. The menu is very extensive and is a good choice for groups.
9. L for You, Aoyama
