Shojin Anniversary

Vegan Japanese? Yes, there really is such a place Dorothy, and it's in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles on the third floor of the mall that used to be the epicenter of Japanese life and is now struggling to evolve into something that will live on for future generations. Future generations is really one of the key focus point of vegan cuisine, so it is a fitting fusion to incorporate an old style cuisine with new ingredients.

The regular menu includes all the staples found on any other menu around Little Tokyo except the meat is replaced with seitan or tempeh, like grilled tempeh with a sweet BBQ sauce, or a seitan curry rice. Of course there are also imaginative purely vegetable dishes from the basic tempura vegetables, or tofu and mushrooms, to the creative pumpkin croquettes or okra cake with a vegan mayonnaise. If you can't decide, I would choose the bento box where you can pick two entrees from their regular menu items, accompanied with brown rice, a vegetable, and salad.

Shojin is celebrating its' one year anniversary for the entire month of March and in honor of their 1st anniversary they’re offering a special five course dinner including appetizer, soup, entree and dessert for $19.95, available every night for the month of March. They’re also throwing a party, and everyone is invited, March 29 from 5:00pm-10:00pm with a $20 all you can eat buffet style dinner of vegan sushi. The guest chef is Katsuhiro Tamashiro, the former executive chef of the Four Seasons Hotel. There will be live music and Japanese games at the party, so bring your friends.