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Top Rated in Hong Kong Island
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Isoya Japanese Vegetarian
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Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Japanese
Take-out
居素屋日本野菜料理, at 灣仔灣仔道83號9樓 is the 2nd Japanese restaurant of Joe Hui in HK. English menu & spoken. Contemporary decor. High end. Open Mon-Sat 12:00pm-2:30pm, 6:00pm-11:00pm.
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9/F, 83 Wan Chai Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, China
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Last update on 29 May 2016 by Stevie
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Added by Stevie on 12 Oct 2014
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26 Reviews
First Review by HKveggie
Briekimchi
Points +2135
Good Lunch Time Option, Can't Wait To Try Dinner - Edit
We went to Isoya to try out their lunchtime menu, which on paper, looked like excellent value. The basic cost was 98HKD (before service), and for that, you would get a main course, three starter/side dishes and a small dessert. There's also a deluxe version where for 188HKD, they'll add a small grilled platter and a small sushi platter alongside the above. We ordered two basic lunch sets and one deluxe lunch set in order to sample everything.
Read moreThe amount of food in each basic set is more than enough to feed one person at lunchtime, so it definitely looks a good value option for the area, and can easily be finished off during a lunch hour (orders are taken quickly and the serving of food very prompt). Some of the starters are excellent, out of all of them, we particularly enjoyed the spinach w/ sesame paste, the avocado salad and the sweet potato tempura. On the other hand, the tofu option was lacking in flavour and the pumpkin stew really was more of a stewed pumpkin. So, your experience will probably depend on what your order.
The mains of the lunch set were not enjoyed as much as the starters. On the positive side, the ingredients used are of excellent quality and prepared really well. It's just everything is very lightly flavoured and while you can appreciate the skill that's gone into the preparation, the taste just isn't as memorable. The Lime Somen really needs more of a lime kick, and it is a rather large portion, so it was hard to get through. The Tomato Soup ramen was an easier eat but, again, just needed to highlight the tomato much more.
The platters were both solid with each containing one really tasty morsel (the grilled one had an excellent bit of tofu on a stick and the sushi one had a delicious fried roll that might be one of the best things I've had in any sushi selection ever) but, with the size of the basic lunch being what it is, I don't know if it's really necessary to order these.
Really can't finish up without talking about the service. For a lunch hour, it really was excellent. The serving staff were warm and repeatedly attentive, taking a great attitude towards our kids during the lunch.
Overall, definitely recommend the lunch menu as an affordable and filling option, but really want to get there for dinner to really see them at their best.
Pros: Portion Sizes Were Perfect, Great Value For The Quality, Extremely Attentive Service
Cons: Very Missable Location, Flavours A Bit Too Subdued
Guest
EdYan
Points +2577
Beautiful, minimalist, delicious - Edit
Like many places in HK that aren't at street level (ie most vegan or vegetarian places), you have to go looking a bit but this place is certainly worth it. The interior is simply but tastefully decorated - very Japanese - and we found the service to be excellent possibly because I muddled through with some very rudimentary Cantonese but the menu is in English and some staff speak English as well. We went for dinner and had one of the two set menu options, the main difference being one had a hotpot. Each course was so well presented and an adventure in taste and texture. Great experience.
Read moreGuest
ChrisPuttick
Points +16
Great vegan options - Edit
Easy to miss as you need to go through a corridor and take the lift to the 9th floor.
Read moreYou can note no diary and no egg on the set menu and still end up with almost all the menu to choose from.
Super simple, very delicious, will be back
Guest
MaxOkazaki
Points +47
Amazing set menu! - Edit
Went here for dinner and they had two set menu options to choose from. The main difference was one had a hot pot and other had 3 different mains to choose from. The rest was mostly the same (a few other changes).
Read moreI didn’t really know what to expect but was blown away by how simple and tasty everything was. Reminded me of being back in Japan :’) with the added bonus of it all being vegetarian.
Pros: Elegance, Ambiance, Staff friendliness
Guest
asiabase
Points +28
Simple and elegant Japanese Vegetarian set menu - Edit
Excellent technique in delivering delicious and unique Japanese vegetarian set meals.
Read moreGuest
lokalvegan
Points +1643
Simple and tasty Japanese food - Edit
The lunch sets are affordable and tasty. The ramen was good. Simple flavours and authentic Japanese dishes.
Read moreGuest
kmbrophy
Points +1038
Fantastic - Edit
First time here and we will definitely be back. Space on the order sheet to check “skip milk” and “skip egg”, we also confirmed with the staff and they were understanding. Lunch set options are plentiful and all delicious.
Read morePros: Attentive and friendly staff , Great service , Veg but can be made vegan
Guest
Dariush
Points +766
Excellent - Edit
Really enjoyed my meal at this restaurant. The options were streamlined but all delicious. I had the lunch special, which included three starters, a main, dessert and unlimited green tea for just over HKD100. The ambience in the restaurant was clean and Spartan. Oh- this restaurant is vegetarian so be sure to indicate on the menu slip if you don’t take dairy and egg.
Read moreGuest
Healthy-ish
Points +303
Reminds me of Kyoto temple cuisine - Edit
Delicious and highly recommend. I ate dinner there and thought that the food and service were good. The set menu is long, so you should: 1) go hungry to the restaurant because there is a lot of food; 2) block off the rest of the evening so that you can enjoy the meal at a leisurely pace. There is no a la carte menu, and we had the choice of 2 set menu options. Both are on the pricey side so I plan to go back for special occasions. The interior is minimal and clean.
Read morePros: Innovative cuisine, Food tastes delicious, No processed meat substitutes
Cons: Prices are a bit high, Only set menu available
Guest
Natures-food
Points +53
Lunch options are always the same. - Edit
Same menu can be seen as a good predictable no surprises kind of good traits but you also get bored going there often.
Read moreThe vegan Japanese restaurant caters for vegetarian and vegan diners. You can opt for egg and dairy free dishes. A simple lunch menu choices makes ordering simple and fast. It comes out as a set lunch. Choice of pumpkin, tofu, bean curd, okra, tempura, tomato salad etc with a choice of rice, miso and pickle, or with a.few dollars change to cold noodles, soba, and other choices.
Service is fast and efficient. Staff are extremely well trained and polite. The environment is quite and spacious, although not big. Best to book in advance.
If you want something predictable and standard are withhold over time, this is your choice.
No surprises but simple comfort food.
Pros: Vegan Japanese no miscommunication , Consistent , Location
Cons: Predictable, can get boring for lunch set, Needs more variety or seasonal dishes
Guest
veganangiep
Points +483
Zen & cozy place amidst crowded street - Edit
Environment: Zen, soothing, quiet
Read moreFood: Vegan lunch set choices are marked clearly. Different choices of homemade Japanese food.
Service: Friendly manager, some staff may not be that well-trained or friendly.
Price: High especially during dinner time
Pros: Dishes are unique and not seen elsewhere
Cons: Lunch items are a little plain and dull
Guest
SimonMcGlynn
Points +22
Excellent especially if you love Japanese food. Try the sushi. - Edit
Lunch special was excellent, we will be back.
Read morePros: Vegan no problem
Guest
RunEatWorld
Points +2898
Decent Japanese food - Edit
Went for the deluxe and the standard lunch sets. Fantastic that we could circle no milk and egg on our order sheet to ensure it was vegan. Service was excellent. Didn't feel the deluxe was worth the extra cost, although sushi platter was good. Loved the avocado salad, other starters were okay. Ramen was huge, full of umami flavour. Lime noodles were surprisingly good, although some sort of vegetable/tofu with the noodles would have been nice. Wasn't a fan of the matcha mochi dessert. Overall a good (but expensive) experience.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2018-12-19
Guest
PickleRick
Points +933
Eat here on payday - Edit
This was a few months ago - they had a "sakura" special for the dinner set.
Read moreIt has a more formal vibe, but friendly.
The food is very nicely presented, but it felt it was a bit bland and lacking in depth. Or I didn't feel like the ingredients were really showing themselves.
Maybe it's just me, I didn't feel it was worth it. I could be spoiled though - I would much rather just go to Japan instead.
Everything else is very nice there, it just wasn't super delicious to me.
Price came out to over $800 total.
Pros: Upscale, Beautiful presentation, Great staff
Cons: Expensive
Guest
HistoricalMarkers
Points +222
Great for a date night or special occasion - Edit
This was an exquisite and beautifully presented set dinner, and I would go again. But beware that there are several courses so it takes time and is rather expensive. Best for a special occasion.
Read moreGuest
jennybhk
Points +93
Great lunch set - Edit
Lovely staff who enjoyed explaining the menu and ingredients. Lunch set (3 sides, 1 main and dessert) was Hk$98 and had a lot of choice. They also have a deluxe set which is about twice the price and includes some “sushi” items - mostly grilled vegetables made to look like sushi, which were delicious. We took up the suggestion of the staff to get one regular set and one deluxe set. All fresh and wholesome ingredients without any use of mock meats. You are given a menu card to tick boxes of which options you want, and there are also options for no milk and no eggs - everything is vegetarian but can be made vegan. They have a fancy taster menu for dinner which is more expensive but I’d like to try for a special treat sometime.
Read moreGuest
MarsiaMS
Points +269
Exquisite Japanese - Edit
This is an upscale, very expensive restaurant. We paid over $800 HKD for a dinner for two. The food was exquisite, with subtle flavours and excellent presentation. The owner came over to our table to explain every dish.
Read morePros: The food fit for royalty
Cons: Really expensive
Guest
kay1abear
Points +241
amazing food and service - Edit
This place is totally worth the price. I believe it was the manager who explained every dish that was served to us, how they make it, how it's traditionally Japanese, etc. I was impressed by the fact that they use produce that's in season and change the menu regularly because of this. He even mentioned that they never substitute ingredients if it invalidates the Japanese elements of the dish.
Read moreFood was fresh, delicious, and well-presented. Don't come if you want giant portions; come for the dining experience. Although not strictly vegan, they knew exactly how to alter each dish to suit vegans.
Guest
010697
Points +109
Japanese vegetarian food - Edit
Choose 3 side dishes and a main for the cheaper lunch set ($98 10%). There are a number of options and you can indicate if you prefer egg- or dairy-free, and the dish will be prepared accordingly.
Read moreSurprisingly, the lime somen and Koya tofu were my favourites - the hint of lime in the cold somen was light and refreshing, and the tofu was soft, spongy and flavourful. All the dishes were really good and quite filing!
Staff are friendly and polite. Overall environment of restaurant was clean and the atmosphere calm.
Pros: Egg & dairy free option, Calm environment
Guest
FlokiTheCat
Points +882
Wonderful fine vegetarian dining in Wan Chai - Edit
I went to Isoya for dinner last week. The menu consists of two similar sets both in the dishes that they contain and in the price of each of them.
Read moreThe whole dinner was a fascinating experience, accompanied by matcha tea, in which each single dish was unique and surprising. My favorite dishes were the gluten skewers and the vegan sushi, although perhaps the most surprising one was the delicious raw Osaka eggplant.
The staff was very friendly, bringing us more tea as soon as ours was cold and explaining us the dishes when they were arriving on the table. Joe, the owner, also gave us further explanations when he arrived to the restaurant.
I would recommend going to Isoya to anyone in Hong Kong who can afford it, as it is a truly remarkable experience.
Pros: Excellent food, Creative, Friendly staff
Guest
ra_veg
Points +965
Nice and friendly Vegetarian Japanese restaurant - Edit
I went there for dinner.
Read moreThe different courses were all very tasty and made of high quality ingredients.
All the dishes were vegan expect for dessert, which I skipped and got a discount for.
Joe, the owner, is very friendly and explained me all the dishes and gave some background info.
I would go there again if I visit Hongkong again.
Pros: Very tasty and fine food, Friendly staff, Clean and nice ambience
Guest
Ashni
Points +2258
Lovely Japanese vegetarian in a calm atmosphere - Edit
I came here for lunch with a friend and had an enjoyable experience.
Read moreThe place feels clean, light and calm. The owner, Joe, was really friendly and patient. He talked us through the items on the menu, and I could see his passion for the food.
Their lunch sets are reasonable - a standard set is HKD 98, while a deluxe set is 188 (plus service). (I think their dinner prices are higher.) We decided to go for one standard and one deluxe.
Everything tasted fresh, without mock meats (a plus for me), and delicately balanced. In my experience, Japanese food tends to be based around few quality ingredients.
Favourites were the Koya tofu (lovely spongy texture), avocado salad (tasty sesame dressing), Japanese green pepper skewers and cold lime somen (perfectly refreshing). I enjoyed the okra with natto (although natto is usually not to everyone's liking as it's quite stringy!). I found the dessert (not sure of the name - tasted chewy/rice based, coated in Matcha powder) too strong because of the Matcha powder but my friend liked them.
I would be happy to go back again for lunch or to try the dinner menu.
Pros: Fresh, great service
Guest
Stevie
Points +11765
Isoya Japanese Vegetarian, Hong Kong - Edit
It's very nice food here. If this place was all vegan it'd defo be 5 out of 5 from me.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2016-05-26
Pros: Vegan friendly, Delicious food
Guest
austintay
Points +82
Good vegan Japanese - Edit
The place is clean and organised. Food is very well presented. Lunch set was great. Went with a friend who is not vegan and she liked it too.
Read morePros: Service is quick.
Cons: Near the wet market where you will seeots of dead
Guest
sglcklch
Points +2875
Mixed feelings - Edit
Had dinner here with a friend. They only do set meals: a regular kaiseki set, a seasonal cherry blossom-themed kaiseki set, and a soy milk hotpot set (available for parties of two or more). All are priced at HKD300+ plus 10% service charge. Not everything is vegan, but they will gladly swap out non-vegan courses upon request. Each table can choose from any two of those sets regardless of the size of the group—a policy they said they put in place to avoid confusion, which we couldn't quite wrap our heads around, but anyway…
Read moreBoth of us ordered the seasonal cherry blossom set. The food was hit or miss. Some courses were better than the others, but none was great. I enjoyed the almond tofu appetizer, the soy milk chawanmushi, and the udon noodles, but not too impressed with the tempura and the sushi plate. The former was too heavy and greasy, didn’t taste like much other than fried batter. The latter was just so ordinary and wasn’t any better than what you can get grab-and-go at the local supermarket. It did feature a fried cherry blossom sushi to make it look more special, but it was a bland, oily dud. As a whole, the meal felt like a dumbed-down kaiseki. The execution and sophistication simply wasn’t there. Oh, and because I couldn’t eat the dairy ice-cream for dessert, they gave me a strawberry instead. Yes, singular, one.
At this price point, I expected more from the food. Good thing the staff was very nice people and the setting was clean and modern in a zen way. I also appreciate their trying to bring something new and different to the local veg*n scene. This would've been a 3 from me, but I added another 0.5 because of that and rounded this up to a 4.
Pros: décor, service
Cons: pricey, so-so food
Guest
HKveggie
Points +13
Fantastic Japanese vegetarian restaurant - Edit
I have eaten at Isoya twice for dinner. The set menu consists of a number of imaginative small courses which are all really well presented and are fresh and tasty. The quality of the food is far better than any other vegetarian restaurant we have been to in HK and having lived in the city for 15 years we have been to most of them. The staff are friendly and welcoming and I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys fresh food which is well cooked and well presented. The price of the food is very reasonable particularly given the high quality of the food. Looking forward to going back again soon!
Read morePros: Great tasting fresh food, Imaginative dishes, Friendly and welcoming
Cons: None!
Guest
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