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• Veg-friendly tofu restaurant

Despite the richness of a vegetables and soy-based foods in the Japanese cuisine, eating out is very often a problem because of the overall present "dashi" (fish broth), which severely limits the choices available to a veg(etari)an. Indeed, quite often you are told at the entrance that everything is made with dashi and even the soy sauce contains it. Mamehachi is one exception: when I said I'm vegan they replied "no problem". In fact, I could choose a wide range of steamed vegetables and tofu and yuba based dishes. The waitress carefully checked what I could and could not eat and served a vegan version of everything I ordered. There are a few dishes which cannot be "veganized" because ingredients are mixed from the beginning (ex. some mayonnaise in a tomato-based salad) but most of the non-flesh dishes (which represent the bulk of the menu) can be easily made vegan. I had dinner there at the last day of the "bon" period (August 16, 2015), paid 7500 yens for three people, including drinks. A full course is more expensive but may be difficult to get a full veg(etari)an option: better to order from the menu. Ground-level is counter seats, upper floor is Japanese-style with low tables. Staff does speak English and credit-cards are accepted. From the Hankyu railways station at Shijou / Gion take Ponto-cho direction North, the restaurant is a few minutes walk on your left.