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CLOSED: Sofa Vegetarian Cafe
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1
Closed
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Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
International
Japanese
Cozy little cafe with upstairs dining area. Menu clearly indicates vegan and oriental items. Minutes away from shibuya 109 and JR Shibuya station, exit the station where there is the bus terminus. Facing the bus terminus northwest, walk across the street to the busy multi cross junction. Walk along that street until you come to that shop. Reported closed to HappyCow.
3 Reviews
First Review by squirrelgaijin
AndreaPassini
Points +204
Do you like soy "meat"? Well Sofa has got it!! - Edit
The directions in the other review were spot on. Easy to find a super convenient to Shibuya station. The interior is quaint with seating on 2F+3F. Wine selection is abundant but I sadly did not partake this time round.
Read moreOne MAJOR thing to note is that the menu is ONLY in Japanese and is impossible to figure out if you do not read it. I took the advice from the former review and tried the lasagna...and died and went to heaven. Its part of the 'O' menu, so there are no onions or garlic in it. I was doubtful a tasty lasagna could be made without those items, but was pleasantly surprised to have my taste buds tingled by the finished product. The marinera sauce contains soymeat, which is a healthy and filling bonus. I was able to ask our waitress about some hot dishes and found they have gobo fritters, wedge French fries with rosemary and deep fried mock ham roll-ups. I took a bet on the fake ham...and was shocked and delighted by their taste and appearance. The siso leaf rolled in the middle of each piece gave them a very unique and yummy taste.
The lasagna was Y1200, and the roll-ups were Y580. Not bad prices for Shibiuya.
I will definitely go here again, but make sure I bring a Japanese reader along to translate all the other tasty things that must be on their menu.
Pros: Soy meat!!, Good price, Convenient
Cons: No English menu
Guest
MissGemma
Points +88
Cosy little cafe! - Edit
I love this place! I'm always in Shibuya so the location is very convenient for me. It's a cosy little cafe made up of several small floors, the ground floor being the till where you pay and the shop.
Read moreThe first time I went, they had a bilingual menu in Japanese and English. The English was very difficult to understand in places. It seemed like an automated translator had been used.
Dishes marked 'V' are vegan, but some dishes were marked 'O'. I had to ask what 'O' ('oriental vegetarian') meant. The waiter said it means no onions or garlic, so if you are Jain, this place is good for you.
The last time I went about a month ago, the waitress said the menu was only in Japanese. I can read Japanese, but it might cause problems for those who don't.
I saw some people try to communicate in English, but in the end they pointed to what I was eating (lasagne) and asked for that!
At lunch, they have a choice of set menus. The spinach and chickpea curry wasn't good, but the minestrone soup with focaccia more than makes up for it. The soup was really fresh and tasty and came with a big side salad.
In the evening, they have the standard menu. Their lasagne is the best dish I've tried so far on the menu, but it's tiny! I have to order veggie gyoza (dumplings) on the side to fill me up - you can choose deep fried or pan-fried.
Overall, this place is really good for vegetarians but limited for vegans.
Directions from JR Shibuya Station: Take the exit for Hachiko and look out for Shibuya 109 ahead of you (a cylindrical tower). Walk to Shibuya 109 which is in the middle of where the road forks. Take the left fork and walk uphill for a good 5 minutes. The restaurant is on the left side. Look out for a red canopy.
Happy eating! :)
Updated from previous review on Monday August 29, 2011
Pros: Tasty, Good vegetarian selection, Conveniently located
Cons: Small portions, Limited vegan dishes, English menu removed?
Guest
squirrelgaijin
Points +50
Convenient but disappointing vegan selection - Edit
This place is very conveniently located close to the main shopping areas in Shibuya. I regularly buy the dried "meat" products from this company so was looking forward to seeing what they would have on offer in their restaurant. However, I found the vegan selection disappointing and ended up ordering a pasta dish that I felt I could have cooked up at home easily. My friend tried the vegan spaghetti with meat sauce and ended up having to add a lot of salt, pepper and tabasco to give it some flavour. The portion sizes were pretty decent though. And the pumpkin pudding dessert I ordered was delicious. I would go back to eat that again, maybe with a nice glass of wine :)
Read morePros: Convenient, Good size portion, Huge wine selection
Cons: Unadventurous food
Guest
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