Tofu Restaurant In Iruma, Saitama
Found this really nice tofu restaurant in Iruma, Saitama.
Special day today so it was fun to go somewhere special. In fact, this place has a unique vegan concept that could be very popular elsewhere, but the owner likes to keep it small.
All dishes made with local soybeans and veggies, with a range of vegetarian foods from veggie dishes, ramen, curry (with nan made from kara, the skin of soybeans) to a lot of different kinds of tofu. Buffe style with desserts, if you are so inclined (I try to watch it...).
Also of course yummy gomadofu (made from sesame seed) and original stuff like jelly tomato and my new favourite, u no hana!
From wikipedia: In Japan it is used in a side dish called unohana which consists of okara cooked with soy sauce, mirin, sliced carrots, burdock root and shiitake mushrooms.
Top photos from Biglobe Kirei Style and Za Iruma Shi
Address: 入間市東町1-6-1 (Iruma-shi, Azuma-cho 1-6-1)
Tel: 04-2965-7455
The location may be of interest too, it is in a part of town near the Iruma Self Defense Airbase, that was called Johnson Airbase after WW2. The last USAF facilities were closed and totally returned to the Government of Japan in September 1978.
This part of town still has many of the old prefab wooden houses, all painted white, and a couple of quaint shopping streets with antique shops, cafes and restaurants that you will not want to miss. A piece of history that has somehow managed to not be erased by bulldozers. Seems it was called the Hyde Park back in the 1950s. Cherry trees and pine trees where planted as a sign of friendship and the park is still there, called the Inariyama Koen.
So near Tokyo, yet so far...
The tofu restaurant is just at the entrance of this area, and there are other places to eat if you prefer something else!
Bottom photos from RP. Tamago's Garden and Green Days
Do explore.
Comments
There is a shop in Koyasan you are no doubt familiar with that makes wonderful gomadofu.
I tend to go overboard in such a restaurant, but hey, there are a lot worse things to eat in excess!