Itosho

Long before Western animal rights movements, various strands of Buddhism asserted the importance of not harming or consuming living things. In Japan, this gave rise to a unique cuisine which thrived in the temples and monasteries: shojin ryori. This Tokyo restaurant specializes in this historic vegetarian cuisine, and has been doing so now for around half a century. Their meals are suitable for vegetarians, but certain to be enjoyed by anyone who loves historic dining with high-quality ingredients. Just like the monks who once consumed this food, the philosophy of the restaurant values clear-sightedness, simplicity, and unadorned “suchness,” presenting the delicious flavors of fine ingredients without any egotistical showboating or garish distractions. This means simple but delicious dishes like soba noodles with seasonal vegetables, deep fried Japanese sweet potato, and vegan “sushi.” The signature dish is a plate of deep fried tofu and vegetables cooked with mochi rice paste flour in place of standard batter. This coating puffs into hundreds of little aerated, crispy globules around the ingredients for a unique texture.