• 5
• One of the Best Vegan Restaurants in SF

With Cha-Ya and the recently closed Minako, the mission district had plenty of options for vegans looking for great Japanese food. Since the opening of Shizen, I haven't felt the desire to go to either of those restaurants. In nearly all respects, it outshines any other Japanese food I've had in San Francisco. Shizen has all of the standard sushi you'd expect to find at a vegan restaurant, but go for the specialty rolls that are beautifully presented and bursting with unexpected and tantalizing combinations of flavors and textures. This is nothing like the sushi you'll find at other Japanese restaurants. The ramen is perfect on a cold day with a rich broth, noodles and meaty tasting slices of smoky tofu. Salads are fresh and perfectly dressed. Shizen is one of those restaurants where I'm faced with the dilemma on repeat visits: I want to eat the dishes I've had before, but also want to try new ones. After four or five visits, there isn't a single dish I've tried that I would not happily order again. Service is top notch for the most part. The only fault I could find is that they currently only have one dessert selection. Shizen is currently working on a menu update and it would be great if they expanded the dessert offerings. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing. Updated from previous review on Tuesday April 21, 2015