Oh happy days! Japan has become more and more accommodating towards vegans these past few years, and luckily I have been able to catch many of these vegan finds recently in Tokyo! Just in the past month, there have been three big updates in the scene. I am pleased to share some reviews of the new products and to spread the vegan love with those in need. đ
Vegan Bakery: Universal Bakery
The first update in the quarantined month of May is the brand spanking new vegan bakery called Universal Bakery. This dreamy bakery is located in the quaint and quiet backstreets of the Shimokitazawa/Setagaya-Daita neighborhood. I could not think of a better place! (Probably because I am conveniently a few minutes away-lucky me!) The bakery opened on May 22, and as of writing I have been every day since then. I take my reporting duties very seriously…Due to it being the opening weekend, most items were all sold out each time I went. But, thanks to mine and my friendâs immense dedication, we have been able to try almost ten products. They include sour cream and onion flatbread, red sauce and veggie flatbread, nori croissant, regular butter croissant, soy latte, walnut twist bread, strawberry jam flatbread, and melon pan. I am not kidding when I say I was blown away by every single item. My friends were as well! Each baked good had such unique flavor and taste, that you could definitely feel the care and thought put into them.Â
After careful deliberation, I would say that the sour cream and onion flatbread, the croissant, and the melon pan topped my list. I will say, I am usually a savory person, not a sweet person. But the melon pan was just spot on. It was light and fluffy in the center, crunchy and crumbly on top, and with a sprinkle of salt. Perfect combo! The sour cream and onion flatbreadâs caramelized onions with white cream sauce really was so garlicky and buttery. Some items I saw on their Instagram I cannot wait to try: the cinnamon roll, coconut scone, and baguette. Not only is the food delicious, but the soy latte had such a rich taste, I will definitely be back for more. The atmosphere is cozy and has a rustic vibe inside. If you have ever visited Alaska Zwei in Nakameguro, it is owned by the same wonderful owners. Please stop by when you can travel there safely and enjoy some tasty baked goods!
Address: 5 Chome-9-1 Daita, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0033
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/universalbakery_tokyo/
Plant-Based burger: Mos Burger
The day is finally here- a vegan burger at a Japanese fast-food chain! Mos Burger, thank you for answering all the veg-headsâ prayers. On May 22 Mos Burger launched its completely plant-based burger across all of Japan. It ran at limited locations across Tokyo back in March, and it must have been successful! Mos Burger always seemed like the most progressive of fast-food chains, with a soy patty on the menu. Unfortunately it had egg and dairy on it, so vegans could not partake. But they went back to the drawing board and came out with the burger free from all animal products. They really are going for the âveganâ image with even a green-colored burger bun. I personally thought it was cute. The sandwich is quite hearty and âmeatyâ in texture. It comes topped with tomato, lettuce, and some kind of salsa sauce. I could do without the salsa, but overall I was very impressed with the quality. 10/10 I will eat again, maybe too often! Also, I highly recommend the onion rings. They are better than the french fries and they give a decent amount. I will say, the burger is on the smaller side. So maybe next time I will get two!
Vegan Soy Keema Curry Bento: Family Mart
The elusive vegan bento has made it to the stores, and it can be found in Family Marts across Tokyo and Kanagawa prefectures. The vegan hamburger curry was released in March, but the word on the street is that production of it has stopped for the time being. You still may find it floating around randomly though. The new bento is a soy keema curry, and I have searched high and low for it in my neighborhood. Usually all the Bentos are cleared out whenever I check the three Fam Marts near me, so I may just have bad luck. I have not been able to try it in any case, but I have heard great things. From the looks of it, it is a curry made with soy meat instead of actual meat and it comes with veggies on top like carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, and lotus root. It also comes with a good portion size of rice. I shall update a review as soon as I can find it. But please leave a comment if you have tried it and share what you think!
Link to Japanese press release about the bento: https://www.family.co.jp/company/news_releases/2020/20200514_01.html?fbclid=IwAR0ozYerlAcom1uGSSxLxuU4N8-UBy1CeNtpFZCu_l1SsWNndunAeYHI93g
So many fresh new finds coming out lately, and I am totally here for it! We are thinking of doing monthly round-ups of products released or places opening. What do you guys think? Would you like to see more of these updates? Please let us know in the comments! Thanks so much for reading and happy eating! xoxo Jackie
