Vegan Tales from Japan

Sayounara …

… the conclusion of the journal of a South African vegan in Japan

18 August 2011

This month marks 2 years since I embarked on my English-teaching adventures in Japan. I arrived during Osaka’s hottest month of the year, and as I write this, a rattling air conditioner behind me and a fan at my left hand, it’s sweltering once again. If it weren’t for daydreams of delicious vegan food to keep me going, I’m sure I would have expired long ago.

Ah, delicious vegan food. It’s a topic close to my heart, in case you hadn’t noticed (the entire blog being a subtle reminder). Over the past 2 years I’ve eaten many scrumptious and strange things, both at restaurants, some of which have sadly closed, and at home. Since this will be the last entry in my vegan blog, I thought I’d make some lists of the best and not-so-best foods I’ve discovered since I’ve been living here.

Scary foods

1. Goya: While I am actually growing this, and it’s supposed to be very good for blood sugar problems, I have not yet been able to get past its bitterness!
2. . Nattou: Stinky, sticky, fermented soya beans. I was unable to swallow this stuff for almost 2 years, but something happened while I was at a hotel in Tokyo recently (nope, can’t tell you – what happens in Tokyo, stays in Tokyo) and overnight I fell in love with it. I eat it almost every day now – nattou and brown rice for breakfast, nattou sushi … nattou, nattou, nattou! It’s supposed to really good for you. I think that’s because the stink scares most germs away. Most people, too.
3. Konnyaku: a starch made from the Devil’s Tongue plant. Really, the name speaks for itself.
4. Small birds’ eggs: No, they’re not vegan, and nope, I haven’t eaten these, and I don’t plan to, but I see them at the supermarket, or served with lunch sets, all the time, and they make me sad.

Awesome foods

1. Tofu: Japan has the best tofu in the world! Except for maybe Korea and China …
Anyway if it weren’t for tasty and cheap tofu, my muscles would have withered away by now.
2. Nattou: See above entry! It’s so awesome, it made it into both columns.
3. Anko: The deliciousness that results when you boil adzuki beans with huge amounts of sugar.
4. Japanese sweets: Awesome, pretty, often vegan, super sweet sweets that go really well with powdered green tea. Many are made with anko. I eat them by the kilogram and then go to gym for several days.
5. Mochi: Sticky rice dumpling-things that are excellent anywhere, anytime. I like them best served with warm anko soup in winter. In the picture of yours truly, you can see me chomping away at some potato mochi. And yes, it was delicious.

I’m planning on staying in Japan at least until next year August. So, there’s still plenty of time to discover new strange and delectable edible things. And, since I recently received some rather strange medical advice, I have a lot of er, healthy eating to do.

Teachers at public schools generally receive a health check once a year. I had mine in July. The results came back with a note expressing concern at my very low cholesterol levels. The advice that came with it: eat fewer animal products. I must admit, I was a little confused.

On that note, I’ll sign off. I could ramble on for pages, ambling down memory lane, but I doubt you’d keep scrolling. If you’ve made it this far though, thank you for reading my blog over the past couple of years! I hope I’ve made your mouth water enough that you come over to Japan someday to try some of the vegan offerings here. Admittedly, a vegan lifestyle here is far from easy, especially if you want to eat at mainstream restaurants, but if you ever visit I’ll give you a few pointers and show you where to buy nattou. Let’s raise awareness of animal-free diets one smelly old bean at a time (maybe you should smuggle a box or two of Fry’s over, just in case).

Sayounara!

Feasting in the rainy season …

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan

12 June 2011

Ohisashiburi! My apologies for going AWOL for a month. Alas, I was not on another travel adventure filled with vegan goodness, nor trapped in the storeroom of a dairy-free deli somewhere (a girl can dream). But, no matter; I’m back to blogging again, and I have decided to stay in Japan until my contract ends next July. After that, we’ll see.

The radiation situation remains a concern, but I think it’s being a bit better understood now, and people have stopped panicking. Bottled water is back in some supermarkets, and life is slowly returning to some sense of normalcy.

My ramble this time is about lunch at a Japanese friend’s flat. Hey, stifle that yawn! It wasn’t your average sandwich and black tea affair – it was a 3-course feast. Said friend recently qualified as a cook of sorts, and I really hope she opens a restaurant somewhere someday. Her food is homey, healthy and served in huge portions – just what you need on a rainy Osaka afternoon.

When we arrived, she served up deep-fried bamboo shoots, picked locally by her friends. For those of you who’ve never tried bamboo, it’s crunchy and fleshy, and if fresh, really, really delicious! It was served with some sort of organic seaweed salt to add some flavour. The starter was followed by a home-made vinegar drink – a little sour, or suppai, as they say here, but it felt like it was good for you.

The main course was hearty minestrone soup with organic bread, a garden salad, some steamed flowering cabbage (courtesy of yours truly), deep-fried gluten meat chunks and rice. Dessert was a huge chocolate cake with almonds and banana slices. It was made with soya milk, but actually contained honey as the sweetener, so it wasn’t 100% vegan. 

We ate ourselves into something close to a coma then passed out under the heated table (kotatsu). I was seriously considering kidnapping the Japanese friend and making her prepare such meals for me on a daily basis, but she must have caught on to my nefarious scheme because she flew out of the country shortly after that. She claims she’s travelling around Europe for a couple of months. A likely story!

Other than the feast, nothing new on the vegan front this side of the world. The rainy season has arrived, and it’s getting hotter and more humid by the day. My home garden is flourishing, and hopefully I’ll have a healthy, if tiny-scale, harvest of soya beans, sage, lettuce and tomatoes in a couple of months’ time.

Keep warm as it gets colder in the southern hemisphere!

Next time: Sayounara! The final chapter of my blog.

The (sea) grapes of wrath

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

7 April 2011

First of all, I’m still alive and ok in Osaka. I’m sure you’ve all seen news reports about the earthquake and tsunami up in north-eastern Japan. Thankfully, I live about 600 km away from the devastated area and so, for me, life has been going on relatively, and surreally, as normal.

The radiation situation has been, and continues to be, terrifying though. While official government readings show radiation levels are significantly higher than usual in the north-eastern prefectures, the central Kansai area apparently has recorded no change at all. I did mention those were official government readings though, right? That isn’t necessarily a synonym for ‘accurate’.

Singapore recently banned some veggie imports from Hyogo prefecture which is, unsettlingly, Osaka’s neighbour, because they found the vegetables were 6 times more radioactive than they should have been. While no one knows what those levels really mean and whether there will be any impact on human health, it certainly doesn’t help you to relax while steaming the spinach for dinner.

And thanks to the mass dumping of 11,500 tonnes of radioactive waste water into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, it looks like more local foods will be testing positive for radiation. That part of the ocean washes around the Osaka coast so, while I’m sure it will be dirt cheap, sea weed will be struck off my shopping list until further notice. This is a real pity since sea weed is a staple in my diet. It’s delicious and great for the thyroid too.

A couple of weeks ago, I took a trip to the remote Ryukyu Islands in Okinawa. It was a holiday I’d arranged months before and I was glad to be able to get away from the scary, dark vibes on mainland Japan for a while. Anyway, I tried 3 exciting local dishes there – 2 of which were sea weed. One, called mozuku, was a slimy, sour brown dish which sounds revolting but was absolutely delicious! It’s served with a slice of lemon and a vinegar dip. Another was something called ’sea grapes’. Sometimes likened to caviar, it’s a light, green sea weed with little sacs along its stems, which pop when you bite into them. Again, sounds unappetizing but I loved it. It was salty and fun to eat!

The third dish was a kind of stir-fry called ‘tofu champuru‘, which reminded me of Chinese takeouts, but was lighter on the sauce and oil. It was the least Japanese dish I’ve eaten in Japan. The Ryukyu Islands are actually closer to Taiwan than the mainland of Japan, and before they were conquered, they were their own kingdom, so the culture there is quite different.

I’d like to go back there but the future is a little uncertain. I signed my re-contracting papers in February, which means I’m supposed to teach English until July next year. I’m trying to ward off the flight part of my body’s response to the situation here, but I’m also keeping an eye on the news, particularly the reports about radiation. At the first symptom of a second head or extra limb, I’ll be on the first plane out of here.

Next time: No predictions at this point.

Becoming Indian

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

9 March 2011

In my university days, my good friend, an Indian chap, always used to tell me that he saw me for what I really was – a large Indian man. While I appear to be a Caucasian female, my incredible appetite for Indian food apparently indicated otherwise. He used to feed me vegetable curries and rotis by the giant stainless-steel potload, and I did my best to expand into my Asian alter-ego.

However, when I came to Japan, I lost touch with this inner self. The staple diet of miso, brown rice, tofu and veggies was light and healthy, but I lost about 4 kg. The portions here are rather small, and many people, vegans especially, find themselves hungry again just an hour or two after eating. The diet, combined with the active lifestyle, makes for some seriously skinny people. For a while, I was happy. Gaunt is chic, you know. But then one day, late last year, shortly before I went to Australia, my Indian self surfaced once again, demanding, quite simply, more food. So when I came across an Ayurvedic cookbook in Sydney, I decided it was time to make some dietary changes.

While the cookbook contains some recipes which call for eggs and milk, most of it is vegan, or can easily be made so. So the sidekick and I splashed out and bought 2 crates of spices, flours and other ingredients from an online Indian grocery last month, took a couple of tests to determine our predominant ‘doshas‘ (there are 3 main types of bodies in Ayurveda – Vata, Pitta and Kapha) and got cooking.

Most of our meals now consist of a soup (broccoli, spring onion and sunflower seeds being my favourite), a dal or veggie side dish, and spiced basmati rice (cooked with cumin and mustard seeds). The food is meant to balance your body, and is usually easy to digest. It smells great when it’s cooking, and thanks to the spices stacked on every possible surface in our kitchen, an awesome smell greets you when you open the front door to our flat. My inner Indian is pleased. My outer Caucasian too, as my bones are no longer showing on my chest. We still eat Japanese-style meals a couple of times a week – miso is even recommended in Ayurveda – but with more starch, to bulk them up.

Here is a sample recipe from the book – in fact, I think most of the recipes I used can be found on the website.

So in my last blog, I mentioned new desserts in Kyoto. One of my favourite veggie restaurants, Café Proverbs, changes its menu according to the season, and last time we popped in, they had not only new soy milk pasta dishes, but some new cakes and tarts too. I tried this one (see photo). The verdict? Delicious, but it had that unfortunate taste – the one that tastes like more. At 500 Yen (about R40) a pop (reasonable for cake in Japan) though, you have to make one portion go a long, long way.

Next time: School camps and tropical islands.

Chicken drumsticks and pizza

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

1 February 2011

Happy New Year to all our readers! My good wishes may seem rather belated, but since the Year of the Rabbit only officially begins in February in the East, I have a good excuse. I hope you all had yummy vegan food over the holidays – I know I did. And yes, I’m going to gloat about it in this blog entry, as usual.

I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas in Sydney, Australia (thankfully, I was a good couple of hours south of the flooding). The first thing I did, besides hitting the beach, was stock up on vegan goodies from the supermarket. Creamy vanilla soya milk, fruit biscuit bars, Sweet William (fake chocolate – delicious though), Vegemite, breakfast muffins, rum and raisin truffles … the list was long, and my credit card under pressure.

Next, it was off to some vegan restaurants. I’d researched a few online before I left Japan – and one which had really taken my fancy was the cheekily-named coffee shop “Naked Espresso”. I took a daytrip out to a hippy, Obs-like area called Newtown to check it out, but found the coffee shop closed for the holidays. However, there was a pizza restaurant which seemed to be sharing the premises. And a glance at the menu revealed at least 5 vegan pizza options – with cheese! I felt quite overwhelmed and started rattling the door.

The restaurant was closed until dinner time, but the waiting seemed agonising. I had waited for this moment for almost 6 years – but somehow, waiting another 6 hours seemed impossible. Luckily, I was saved by a vegan restaurant across the road. It was called ‘Green’, as far as I remember, and was an Asian place. They had a buffet lunch, with all sorts of Thai and Taiwanese dishes, and next door was a deli and vegan dessert shop. They had 4 kinds of brownies, gelato, cheesecakes, cupcakes and chocolates. A lot of it was gluten-free and raw, so there was no guilt to be felt.

I started with a lemon cheesecake – very light, very nice. I chased that with a fudge brownie – definitely not recommended for kids or people with sugar problems. Seriously. Once I’d recovered from that, I had a strawberry cupcake – with a cherry on top. Eating it was, quite honestly, a transcendental experience.

After walking off all of that, it was time for pizza. To make up for all the dry years, I ordered the largest size, with extra cheese. The other toppings were tomato, eggplant and artichoke hearts – and possibly some olives – I can’t remember. I was too enraptured by the cheese. That meal alone was worth the flight to Australia.

Nothing could beat that dinner, but one other meal did come close. While at the vegan deli, I picked up some frozen veggie meats – ’smoked ham’ and ‘chicken drumsticks’. It’s that Asian stuff – ingenious, but possibly made from genetically-modified soy. Anyway, the ham was really rich and good – but the drumsticks were the best. Not only did they have a realistic texture, but they even had ‘bones’! Inside were those flat wooden sticks, the kind you get in ice cream lollies. Quirky, but it made the meal all the more enjoyable.

I came back to Japan feeling full, and satisfied – with enough reserves to last out the winter.

Next time: Ayurvedic experiments in the kitchen, and new desserts in Kyoto.

A vegan Xmas meet – minus the Tofurkey

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

18 December 2010

Christmas in Japan feels more like a promotional campaign at a mall than a festive holiday with religious significance (albeit vague). Supermarkets switch their monotonous regular background music to monotonous Christmas music; city trees are decked out with ‘irumanashion‘ and people buy huge packs of sweets, boxed German cakes, beer and gift boxes of soya sauce. Actually now that I think about it, it’s exactly like Christmas in South Africa (except for the soya sauce).

Most people here traditionally work on Christmas Eve, and then go out cruising for a date. Apparently it’s the most profitable night of the year for love hotels. Anyway, the Kansai vegan meet-up group decided to celebrate the festive season slightly differently, with a lunch near Nigawa Station (somewhere on one of the Hankyu train lines). The meet-up was at Hassel House, the same little café where I’d first attended one of the vegan gatherings. We each paid ¥2600 (roughly R200 – but divide that by 3 for an accurate price) to cover costs, and the group organizer provided most of the food herself – kudos to her for cooking!

We tucked into deep-fried gluten meat, lotus root with some tasty sauce, fresh garden salad, mini burdock and carrot wraps and 2 types of bread – sourdough and crusty white – both of course, lard-free! Dessert was courtesy of a group member – homemade coconut pudding-cake (it was more like a fridge-tart than a cake, rather hard to define) with pumpkin cream on the side. It was very rich but went down a treat with the Japanese herbal tea.

After lunch, we lounged around bloated, chatting about vegan sources of B12 in Japan (I suggested chlorella tablets) and recipes. Then someone suggested a second dessert. We all mustered our strength and staggered to our feet, heading a couple of stops down the train line to Nishinomiya Mall; which I have to say, is definitely the most Western-looking mall I’ve seen in Japan. We went to a place called ‘In the Room’, a macrobiotic café where pretty much everything was for sale. Luckily no one snapped up my dining chair while I was there and I was able to finish my set of ‘overnight’ brown rice waffles and maple syrup, in peace.

They were sold out of most sweets and their soy ice cream by the time we arrived, but I hear that the ice cream in particular is delicious. The café unfortunately will be closing down on the 26th though, so Japanese readers – get there in time! South African readers too – Japan is only a plane trip away, you know …

Happy Christmas to you all. Mata ne!

Next time: Funky Pies and Naked Espressos in Sydney.

Travelling lard

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

2 December 2010

Despite my perpetual criticism of cities, I’ve got to admit that, in Japan at least, they make vegan living that much easier. And by “that”, I mean actually possible.

Recently, the sidekick and I took a drive down into south-central Wakayama prefecture. It’s known for its spiritual pilgrimage routes through misty mountains, and stuff like that. All the lush vegetation, rivers without concrete banks, temples and hot springs make it a nice getaway from Osaka – and it’s only half a day’s drive or train ride. We went to a tiny town comprised of hot spring hotels; estimated permanent population – 50. Number of restaurants: 1. Number of shops: 0.

Why did we choose this bustling metropolis, you ask? Because the river, which the town is built alongside, is known for its natural hot springs. You can dig your own mini onsen in the riverbed, for free, and then soak in it as you watch the waters flow by. This was a very cool idea. However, scheduling our trip on the same day as a typhoon, was not a very cool idea. When it eventually had passed, and the river had returned to some sense of normalcy, we dug ourselves volcanically hot baths and relaxed, taking care not to end up like the squirrels in that opening scene of Dante’s Peak.

But what does this have to do with veganism in Japan? Well, since we stayed 2 nights, we had to eat while we were there. The veggie sushi, fruit and potato chips we’d brought along lasted all of an hour, and then it was time to chow down in the little hotel we were staying at. Japanese hotels usually serve a traditional meal, comprising several small dishes. Since we’d asked for vegetarian, they served us rice, pickles, wild mushrooms, tofu and a delicious mountain vegetable nabe (type of stew). You cook this yourself.

My sidekick fired up her burner and started stirring her veggies, only to find a small white block of something floating in the middle. “What’s this,” she asked, poking at it. “Tofu?” I suggested. But it was not tofu. It was not a vegetable, or paneer, either. There was only one thing it could have been, and that’s lard. Yum yum! We carefully removed it and left it with the pigeon egg we’d been given.

Random lumps of fat aside, there are 2 other things vegans have to be wary of when eating at Japanese hotels. Often, when we book accommodation in rural areas, they are reluctant to feed us unless we are ok with fish stock (dashi) being used in the miso soup, and ok with vegetable tempura (which sometimes has egg in the batter). Not exactly vegan, but if you say it’s ok, you can usually avoid those dishes when mealtime arrives. Otherwise, your best bet is to book without meals (which is inconvenient, but it can save you a chunk of cash) and bring a boot-load of pre-cooked food with you.

One last note about lard. The sidekick and I have taken to eaten at Indian restaurants quite often these days, as they have extensive vegetarian sections on their menus. We’d been asking what’s in the curries and the nan, of course, and had been happily munching away, until our knowledgeable friend informed us that the Indian restaurants too, were probably using lard. So with an awful sinking feeling, we had to ask. Luckily, our local joint proved lard-free. Phew. But lard really is the shiz here – you can even buy tubes of it at the supermarket. Yum yum!

Next time: A Christmas vegan meet!

A ravenous mob of vegetarians

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

18 October 2010

Yes! After an inexcusable absence (involving me doing nasty administrative things like acquiring Japanese driving licences), I am back with more veggie tales from the Orient. The biggest thing to report on is the Kyoto Vegetarian Festival, which is held every year in early October. This was my second time at the fest, and once again, it was awesome.

It was held in Okazaki Park, near the Heian Shrine (very big and touristy spot) in Kyoto. A ravenous mob of vegetarians, including yours truly, descended on the park to spend their savings on things like: vegan donuts (which I mentioned last time, but put off hunting for until the weather cooled down), tacos and chips, veggie pork burgers, falafels, Thai green or yellow curries (with Phuket lager – yum), muffins, cupcakes, large cakes, vegan biltong, raw food snack bars, dates (which cost around R30 each – eek), Chinese dumplings, spling lolls (or maybe it’s spring rolls – my English is deteriorating), salads, strawberry smoothies and shaved ice treats, fudge and much, much more.

There seemed to be more main courses on offer this year, which was nice, since eating sweet stuff all afternoon tends to take its toll on the blood sugar levels! A lot of veggie restaurants represented with stalls where you could sample their menus, albeit for a slighter higher price. There were also organic goods on sale, like flour and pasta, as well as fresh farm produce – I horrified the Japanese by chomping down a raw carrot – and walking around while doing so!

There were booths trying to educate people about fur, animal testing, factory farming, and other issues. It was painful to walk by and see the pictures but, at the same time, essential to have these materials to open eyes. There was also a booth where they screened movies like Behind the Mask and The Cove.

The only complaint I had was that it rained all afternoon – and my umbrella was in Osaka! For one thing, the free kundalini yoga was cancelled, and it also sure made things difficult for the performers on the open air stage! I probably could have bought a cheap raincoat or umbrella or something, but that would have meant going without some tasty treat, so I arrived home looking like a drowned rat, but a very bloated and content one.

Next time: Indian food, how cow flesh is considered a vegetable in Japan, and more.

O-kaeri! Special South African Edition

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

28 August 2010

In mid-July, I was lucky enough to come home to Cape Town for 3 weeks. Although the World Cup had wound down a week before I arrived, there was still a buzz in the air, and restaurants hadn’t changed their prices back to something locals could afford (not sure if they even plan to).

Having been away for a year, there were 2 things I really, really wanted to do in the Mother City: see ‘my’ animals, and eat. I’ll spare you the soppy details of the former, and just blog about the eating part.

I won’t write about how I forked out R33 for a hot chocolate with soya milk at a certain establishment in Rondebosch (*cough cough*, Cocoa Wah Wah). Paying R7 for a soy option there was nearly as horrifying as Kauai’s newly ‘reformed’ menu, replete with 1 vegan option. Talk about token. Thank goodness for the 2 great new vegan restaurants that have opened.

Closer

This bright, funky little spot officially opened at the beginning of August, but I was able to sneak in my o-kaeri (‘welcome back’) lunch party in July. Michelle Verwey and her team served up baskets of warm breads, pita and dips as a starter, following that with home-made root vegetable soup and more delicious breads. There were lemon cupcakes for dessert but, by that stage, most people had stuffed themselves into a coma-like state – which just meant more for me!

Closer is on Palmer Road in Muizenberg, in between other small, cool shops. The area has an ‘Obsy’ feel to it. The café does great (fair-trade) coffees and teas, not to mention cakes – and a bunch of meals. Warm oats with almonds and maple syrup for breakfast sound good? I thought so. Check the place out on Facebook and in real life, too.

Bella Vegan

If you’re in Simonstown, I recommend stopping by Bella Vegan. It’s just opposite the tourist info centre on the main road, and has lumo green walls – you can’t miss it. Jen and her team serve up dirt-cheap, delicious chow (I don’t think anything on their menu was as much as that traumatic hot chocolate I mentioned earlier). I tried a papaya smoothie, which was a really happy-looking drink, and surprisingly filling! Of course, I also tried several other things too, including a sweet potato pie (with salad) and savoury pancakes.

The main meals and desserts change daily. You may be lucky enough to tuck into a slice of double cinnamon and apple pie or a double chocolate cupcake, both served with cream, depending on which day you pop in. I say play it safe and pop in every day … Except Mondays, when they’re closed.

Now, I’m back in the land of the rising, blazing, unbearable sun … already missing the cool weather and all the vegan goodies you can get in Cape Town. Cheese … jelly tots … sniff. Not to mention the soya milk tart at Wellness Warehouse – go try it so that they keep making it and I can eat it again next year August!

Next time: A perilous quest for vegan donuts in weather that curdles even long-life soya milk.

Brown rice harmony

…the journal of a South African vegan in Japan by Carey Finn

15 July 2010

As usual, it’s been a while since I’ve posted an update on my adventures in Japan. You probably suspected I’d OD’ed on the condensed milk – and I won’t lie, it was close – but I survived to wrap up Year 1 in Osaka.

This past month, a lot has happened. First, the rainy season arrived, then my veggie garden threatened to float away. The humidity levels passed 100%. I stopped functioning during the day and only managed to make it to school by strapping an electric fan to my left foot and dragging it along behind me.

In actual vegan news, I visited a lovely little restaurant in Minamikata, a couple of stations north of Osaka City. The place is called Genmai Harmony, which means Brown Rice Harmony. It’s a stone’s throw from the train station, which is very convenient, but there’s very little English, which is not so convenient! However, we managed to order the house veggie curry, which was served with a couple of salads and a variation of miso soup. We felt all harmonic until we found out that the cakes were sold out, but a cup of genki (‘energy’) tea restored the mood. I couldn’t decipher exactly what was in it, but I suspect ginger and a variety of Chinese herbs. On the way out, we picked up an order form for organic veggies, which are grown on a nearby-ish farm, by the owner’s connections.

Raku’s rebirth

As you know, my favourite vegan restaurant in Osaka closed down in May. The owner, Sano-san, has been working at his friend’s new restaurant (not veggie) in south Osaka, and has started reopening Raku there on Saturday evenings. He’s held 2 ‘bossa nova’ gigs so far, serving up his trademark Brazilian fejwada, curry, salad and a new addition of falafel with deep-friend wheat meat. The restaurant is bigger than the old premises and has draft beer on tap – a leftover from the place’s izakaya (‘pub’) days. So far the support has been good so, provided that his next few gigs are successful, he is planning to open Raku 2.0 more regularly, from September.

Curry in Den-Den Town

Meanwhile, short of decent veggie places in convenient locations, my posse have had to find alternative grub joints to meet up. Sano-san showed me an Indian restaurant in Nipponbashi, the Akihibara area of Osaka. It’s known for its maid cafes, toy stores, electronic stores, porn and strangely-clad characters. Just past a horrific pet shop (which I have been complaining about for an entire year, with little response), is a curry place run by real Indians. Usually, curry in Japan resembles curry, but that’s where the similarities end. But this stuff is the real deal, with even the ‘mild’ powerful enough to make grown men cry.

While not a vegetarian restaurant, they offer a lot of veggie dishes, which can easily be made vegan. Good prices, hot spices and gigantic nans have made me a fan of their dinner sets – samoosas, salad, a big plate of curry (I recommend the “green peace” one) and nan, plus chai tea to settle your stomach. They show Indian hip-hop videos and they sell Bollywood movies. What more could you want?

Next time: Carey goes home: a special South African edition!