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Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Vegetarian [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Gourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
70 reviews
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
"Good bento boxes for only $9 dollars!! Four stars for great service, friendly staff and very nice location. I got chicken teriyaki and…" read more »
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This place doesn`t need any more reviews. People from all walks of life brave long-waits to dine here, but it`s sho`worth it! Fuckin`ell, I can`t believe how good this is.
One of the best Japanese places, period. It`s authentic. But only in California, Berkeley, in the Northern Balkans.
I`ve been going there since the OG location opened, and it`s been an ace in the hole for a LONG time. Insanely comforting, to even think about it.
Vegan Japanese food. Delicious.
Tried the kinoki (mushroom) udon. Four varieties of very fresh mushrooms (best part of the dish). The broth was a bit too salty, but was very good for a veggie-based broth, and the noodles were of the thinner variety, but still decent.
We shared the Moon Garden (a steamed tofu version of the classic chawanmushi egg custard dish), which was filled with lots of vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, and peas, along with firm fried tofu triangles.
We also had a special roll, which was deep fried on the outside, with a soy sesame wrapper and seaweed wrapper. The filling was firm tofu and sweet corn. AMAZING. Came with a side of sweet almond sauce.
We didn't have to wait, but that's because we went on a Monday at 6 pm. :) Normally whenever I pass by, there's a very long wait. Can't wait to go back!
Everyone shut up for a sec and listen to me!
:D
Chaya's is the best place... EVER.
If you're a veggie you have to eat here.
I know, I know Tim Robbins and hella other people said to only eat what you can and one of the selling points in being a vege is to consume less...
But let me tell you.
Whenever I come here I eat so much they have to shut the place down.
...I've stopped being a veggie a while back but I still eat here for a reason and it's cause the food is that good.
But the most awesomest thing ever is that it's straight traditional Japanese sushi!
It's tasty, it's presented in a beautiful manner and freshness is key but most importantly...
It's the best sushi you will taste, with very few exceptions.
I really reallllly wanted to love cha-ya, but I can't, not just yet. We went on a wednesday night, minimal wait maybe 5 mins, which was nice. The menu was extensive and kind of overwhelming. I had the miso soup, very good. We shared the tempura sticks and you yelpers were right the tempura batter is the best I've had. I had the garden roll, which unfortunately was huge like the width of my arm and impossible to eat. I couldn't get it all in my mouth obviously so it just fell apart and was impossible to eat. Had it been smaller but longer instead of wider it would have been really good. My boyfriend had the veggie curry udon which was amazing and served in a huge bowl.
Now here's my gripe with cha-ya, we had the worst service ever. Even worse than at cha am! The place wasn't that busy, there were some tables available and no wait! It took forever to get our order taken! Our waters were NEVER refilled, which is totally unacceptable. No one asked how our food was or if we needed anything. We had to wait a good 10+ mins just to get the waitress to bring out check. I couldn't WAIT to get out of there.
I'd like to give cha-ya another chance, the food was really really good. Being a vegetarian its great going to a place where I can order anything so I really hope cha-ya can relinquish their reputation. I am going to try the location in SF and hope for better service.
The things Cha-Ya does with veggies is amazing. Everything from the homemade miso soup to the poached pear dessert is amazing.
I left feeling happy, full and very healthy.
**This is a tiny restaurant and the waits can be rather long in the evening. But, it's well worth the wait.
kick ass vegan sushi and japanese food.
easily crowded (small space) so only 4 stars because it's a wait at prime time, but the food and the value are 5 star.
Getting a seat for myself and my friend on at 1 p.m. on a Sunday was easy. I think we grabbed the second to the last 2 seats at the bar.
I had ordered a couple of vegetarian sushi - avocado, burdock, shitake mushroom which also came with miso soup - very flavorful than at other Japanese restaurants. The sushi was good, not out of this world. The soy sauce was soooo salty, so much so that I just ate my sushi without it.
The desserts looked really delicious but we decided to hit up Love at First Bite for our sugar high.
The Yelp listing says that it accepts credit/debit cards but in the restaurant, it said "Cash Only." Lucky for us, we had both brough enough to cover the debt.
Next time, when the weather cools down, I'll try the udon.
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I always feel so healthily satisfied after I go here. I usually go around lunch time on my breaks from class and though it can get rather congested in there, I've always gotten a seat and have never waited too long for my food. I usually get the agedashi tofu or the vegan rolls, both dishes which I think are brilliant. The first time I went there I had one of their soba noodle soup/dishes, and I wasn't as impressed as I am now that I have explored the menu a bit more. The only thing I get frustrated by are their large sushi rolls. The things are so damn big that I can't get it all in my mouth at once. I just end up looking like an asshole that can't eat sushi right when really it's not my fault. I SWEAR!
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I had really high expectations, especially after having a lovely dinner at their restaurant in SF. Went there for lunch today and the restaurant was maybe 1/3 full, so no wait, but still not such great service. In fact, a little bit of blow-off attitude by the woman serving us. It took us forever to get noticed to pay. I liked the roll we got and the miso soup was lovely. The gyoza and veggie clay pot was just alright. Nothing special. Husband actually didn't like it. The flavor was a little off for him. I don't think I'll be able to get him back there. I'd try it again and try some of the other items just to make sure, but for right now, just 3 stars.
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No meat for ten months. I'm doing totally fine with that, actually i feel healthier. So finding little gems of veggie restaurants really excites me. This place was awesome! I have to say I was very scared by the appearance of some of the dishes...but I was adventurous and it was totally worth it. I couldn't tell you the name or ingredients of anything i ate, but everything was delicious. Even the terrifying looking tofu porridge thing...it took me like four tries before i could actually put it in my mouth, buy YUM it was great.
Pretty good prices. Tiny restaurant, however we went on Saturday at 6 and got a table right away.
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Being a non-vegetarian, I was a little hesitant to accompany my veggie lover friend to this place. The place is very small and we waited about half and hour for a group of 7, which isn't too bad. The menu is very creative, and I really wanted to try everything. Not only was my food pretty good, I actually felt satisfied and full!
OMG
Great food and great selection. I will admit to being a meat eater and when I still can't decide what to get at a vegetarian restaurant, that's saying something.
The service was awesome, even though it was packed full of people and I could tell the server was run ragged trying to keep up. They succeeded beautifully.
I was so full by the end of my meal and yet I couldn't help but order dessert because I felt I couldn't pass it up. And I wasn't disappointed.
I was in Berkeley last night with my friend Jojo running some errands, basically returning a super cool bike blender back to its rightful owner who kindly let my friend use it as a "fun" raiser and a "fund"raiser at a capoeira showcase this past Sunday. Anyway, we were both starving! We drove around the city and found Cha-Ya -- like whoa, Vegan sushi! That's different.
FYI -- i am a meat lover, so I wasn't super hyped or excited to get into the restaurant. But, FYI -- I am also pretty adventurous about trying out stuff I've never had before, hence vegan sushi night.
Parking was easy! The place was packed!! I mean relatively packed considering the maximum occupancy was probably about 30 guests -- crowded on a Wednesday night. I was so ready to eat so I unintentionally ignored the sign in list at the front door, walked in, saw an empty table that was still being cleaned and sat myself down after the guy behind the sushi bar nodded at me. Cool, easy parking! Easy window table on a busy night. Sweet! I looked out the window and I finally noticed the girl outside the restaurant sitting down with her dining partner. Damn! I guess I took their table. So sure enough, not meaning to be so rude, Jojo and I got up, walked out and I put our name down on the wait list at the front door.
My stomach sounded like it was digesting itself. We sat outside of the busy restaurant for about 30 minutes before we were seated. Except for our patience running thin, we made the most of our wait just enjoying the cool Berkeley night, people watching, shaking my legs to keep warm, and just chatting.
So, we're finally inside and seated at the bar, it took forever to get a menu and my stomach was churning by this point. Jojo noticed the chick next to him with her menu under her seat on the floor! GROSS!! Imagine all the germs on that menu. (This is an aside from Cha-ya review, but in general people, if you're done with your menu don't put it on the floor, that's just nasty! What if I put my menu on the floor then pick it up and give it to you so you can page through it, swipe all the germs on your hands, and have you ingest all that crap with your food??)
Moving on, although it took forever for the waitress to come over and take our order, we actually appreciated the extra time to read through the menu and decide what to order. We also appreciated her giving us first timers recommendations on what to order from their pretty large menu.
Soup #1 on the menu, the name started with a D ;) was excellent. Tofu, mushrooms, carrots, and some type of bean. Wow the broth on that soup was excellent, especially for the semi-chilly night out. The veggie gyoza and the cha-ya roll was good especially with my Sapporo. =P The spinach roll -- beautifully rolled, and tasty too. The garden roll was fresh and not "riced out". I'd come back to try out other items on their menu. By the end of the dinner, and our dessert (ice cream!) my stomach was surprisingly satisfied.
So the restaurant hasn't convinced me to become a vegan, lol. But, I appreciate the Cha-ya skill for preparing edible vegan cuisine. The price is inexpensive considering that the food is prepared for you and it's a casual little restaurant. But, if i focused on the price of vegetables from the farmer's market, the prices could be relatively expensive/overpriced.
That said, Cha-ya was a nice experience. I'd go back again ... oh FYI -- if you go for lunch it's Cash Only ... if it's dinner they'll take your plastic.
BEST miso soups. try all of them
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I work a few doors down and eat here about once a week. I LOVE them!! Seriously I can't get enough. My favorites are as follows Cha-ya roll, gyoza, ten bo, avocado roll, agdashi tofu. Yum a vegetarians paradise!
EVEN THOUGH it took over an hour to get a table for four, and EVEN THOUGH the service was excruciatingly slow (seriously terrible), the food was so good that I still have to give this place four stars. It is really that good.
I love this place! The menu is filled with many different types of vegan Japanese food and I love the combo section because you get to mix and match and try several things for the same price as one individual plate. The service was whatever - nothing less than I expected and nothing more.. but this isn't the type of place one would go for the service. We ordered a couple of appetizers, shared our entrees and ordered 2 different desserts. Everything was delicious! Go here... just expect to have your back against another person while you're eating since there's no more than 5 tables in the entire restaurant.
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LOVE the food at cha-ya. yum yum vegan goodness!!
the soups are tasty, the udon noodle are chewy goodness, and with so many veggies heaped into my bowl how can i help not to smile?
i do wish the inside was a little bigger as i get a little claustrophobic when it is full (and it can take some time to get seated).
There is an absurd amount of reviews for this place. I just don't even know how everyone managed to fit into this place at one point or another.
Anyways, I first came here approximately 3 years ago. The udon is still the best I've ever had, and I really like the rice bowl (seasoned brown rice with delicious veggies and tofu!). The agedashi tofu is also fantastic. I'm not much of a fan of the various fried food entrees - too oily and not that flavorful :(.
It takes quite a while to get a seat here sometimes, though its great on a rainy night (assuming you aren't stuck waiting in the rain for a long time). They used to give out free tea but now they charge at least $2.50 for a measly tea bag, so that is somewhat disappointing.
Overall, good food but probably a bit too pricey and specific of a food group to merit frequent visits.
If you want a fresh and healthy meal that tastes delicious, too, you have come to the right place. As everyone else says, it's worth waiting in line for. Two of my favorites are the Goma Ae (spinach appetizer with yummy sesame sauce) and the shredded salad. But I haven't had anything there yet that I didn't like!
*3.5 stars*
Mia, Nitya and I had dinner here a couple of nights ago. They placed us in a very tight corner, so much so that I was blocking another table and had to stand up and move every time that person wanted to get in/out (so annoying!). What was also annoying was the wait staff. Could they be more surly? Whatever.
The food was good. We ordered 5 dishes. I loved the agedashi tofu and the fried banana ending. Mia says that service at the one in San Francisco is better. I'll have to check it out.
I think this is a very niche place to go to, serving a very specific group/type of people. it's not typical japanese food, everything is overly simple and to some degree bland, especially when you pay that much for it. service is slow, and this is one of the only places where i've been disappointed by something that has been deep fried.
Having vegi-tendencies ( I do eat fish), this was agood place for me but it's so TINY. Plus, I feel like I needed more food or something at the end. I haven't gone in a while so maybe I should change my thinking, but it wasn't the most memorable experience for me since everything was indeed fresh, but not the most tasty in the world. I don't know, but I feel like there are some restaurants that have the ability to make food healthy and delicious at the same time. I didn't get the full force of that magic at Cha-ya. I will give it a SOLID 3.75 stars though.
i had wait over an hour to get seated and order. But it was worth it. A bit pricey, I must say, but for the benefits of having fresh tasty food and not having to worry about getting sick, I'd gladly pay the extra money.
Very tasty. Very fair pricing--even cheap! (for this area).
Love the gingko nuts, mochi, soups, noodles.
Interesting Mongolian crew.
Miss the "mad professor" japanese owner on the line.
This place has a lot of special meaning to me since it is where my boyfriend and I had our first date. I would have originally given it 3 stars for the food alone, but the 4th star is for the experience and service we received which made our date very enjoyable and memorable.
The food here quite unique. Vegan style sushi, who would have ever thought I'd actually enjoy it? The rolls are quite large and the sushi smells and tastes very fresh. The prices are standard for sushi, but maybe it can be considered overpriced because there isn't any seafood yet you're paying practically the same price.
Overall I think it's a great place to take vegetarians or vegans. It's always a pain to go out for sushi and having to read every single thing on the menu to make sure it doesn't have meat or seafood (especially if it's in Japanese!). At this place, you can feel comfortable and order whatever you want and still get that japanese/sushi experience. My only suggestion is to come a little bit earlier because seating is very limited.
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Really tasty food! It's pretty unique (i've never seen anything else like it) and it's a good deal. Everything comes out really hot when it's supposed to. Deep fried things come out perfectly fried, which they must be well practiced at cuz practically everything is fried, which is why i took away one star. The sauces that come with each order is distinct, so you don't dip everything in soy sauce, which i always thought was dumb cuz then everything tastes the same. And it's a great place for a first date ;)
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This place is an amazing find of my wife! We were walking in the neighborhood on our way to Elephant Pharm down the street and passed this place.
The first think I can say is its TINY TINY... in typical urban Berkeley type of places, its normal - likely overloading the Fire Marshals max people signage by 200% probably. I'd say they likely can sit 25 - 35 people in total and the tables are small. Its actually the PERFECT type of setting for something different than the "super-size" me restaurants you typically eat at and we LOVE the change this place offers. The point of all of this is to point out that the wait can be LONG, there is a sign up sheet at the door and if your more than 5 to 8 couples down on the list, expect an hour wait... they just can't do anything about it, and they do try to move people through reasonably fast. FYI - Service at a table appears to be at the same speed as service at the bar.
The food is excellent, my wife and I both like the light feel of the food while still very satisfying! The soba noodle dishes are our favorites and we love to sample their specials menu. I also love what they do with their local available foods!
One of our top restaurants!
I had a craving to try something different, so this was it. I like vegetables, and I like Japanese food.
So we entered the tiny little restaurant and stood around at the doorway, a bit confused on how we should proceed. The wait staff seemed rather preoccupied, and about half of the space was occupied by the chefs, who were trapped behind the sushi bar.
We ended up sitting at the sushi bar, which would have been cooler if I could actually watch the chefs...but alas, my torso is too short. Booster seat, please?
On a Saturday night at around 8:30, there wasn't really a wait. I noticed other people later on, lingering in the doorways confused, as well. In short, service could be better. Our empty bowls were later all left in front of us, water took forever to come, as did the check.
The menu, however, was delightfully extensive. Vegetables and tofu in sushi, tempura, breaded and deep-fried (kara-age style), in noodles, steamed, with miso, blablabla. There were all sorts of combinations too, which took a while to examine because each item is named rather uniquely, so I had to flip back and forth to see what exactly was in each combination.
The two of us settled on a Dengaku and Vegetable Tempura Combination, which came with soup and salad, and a Vegetable Curry Udon. Afterwards, we finished off with a delicious Vegan dessert.
Lowdown on the Food:
(Check out my photos)
-Miso Soup: Very yummy, with the typical tofu and seaweed, but an added unique taste. My "date" commented that it tasted like a mix between ramen soup and miso soup.
-Salad: Pretty awesome. Cucumbers and other yummies, topped with golden raisins, radish, and crunchy nut thingies in a lightly delicious sauce.
-Dengaku: Eggplant, mushroom (portebello?), and tofu in a miso sauce. The Eggplant was weird--skinned and un-eggplant like. The tofu was good, and the shiitake had this rich, earthy taste which we absolutely loved. The miso sauce, however, was terribly overpowering--way too flavorful and sweet, and totally smothered all over the eggplant, mushroom, and tofu. They could definitely improve on this dish...remove some sugar, and drizzle the sauce instead.
-Vegetable Tempura: Portions could have been larger. Once again, the poor eggplant was skinned. The breading on tempura was also not as delicate as I like...but the vegetables were all very fresh and flavorful. The giant asparagus was pure yumminess, as were the potatoes and mushrooms.
-Vegetable Curry Udon: The most beautifully presented curry dish I have yet seen. It was delicious too--somewhat of a noodle soup, only thicker. Though I prefer my udon fatter, this dish was yummy in my tummy, and had a healthy amount of fresh veggies inside.
-Soy Vanilla Ice Cream with Pineapple Chunks in Red Bean Sauce and Green Tea Sauce: Mmmmm...I've never had soy ice cream before this, but this was very creamy and yummy. Melted a little fast though. The ice cream was topped by little crunchy things, which further enhanced the yumminess....and the sauces were fantastic with the ice cream. This dessert is definitely a hit. Once again, well-presented.
The Verdict:
For something not-cheap ($20/person) like this, I would expect more consistent food, a better ambiance, or better service. Try Anzu further south on Shattuck if you're looking for a nice environment. It is way less crowded and more elegant or romantic, with pleasant and attentive service. Cha-Ya, however, appeals to adventurous tastes.
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This is one of my FAVORITE restaurants. If I could go there everyday I could. I really don't understand some of the poor reviews- the food is fantastic (good variety and delicious- best Udon Soup ever!), the service is not fast but that is because those girls work their butts off running around trying to get everything right (i have never seen them slacking and they have always been very polite and nice to my family, friends and I)), and the prices are definatley good!!! I mean, what do you expect? The food is very well made and very nicely presented. Most plates range between $7-$10. For the quality the price is great. I went there with 2 girlfriends and we bought a ridiculous amount of food and sake. Expecting the bill to around $100, we were shocked it was only about $60. Love it. I'm always in a happy coma like state after.
My first experience at a vegan japanese place.
I'm not quite sure. I became vegetarian for a while, and I must say, I've had better vegan food.
We came here on a weekend night, so the wait was quite long, and it was quite cold outside.
I tried the gyoza, the cha ya roll, and the robata yaki. Nothing that I could really rave about. The food was quite bland. Although, I guess pretty interesting.
Service was average.
Yea, I had high expectations of this place after all the rave reviews, but they just fell short of my expectations.
But, I'll try it again, and I'll order other things. Maybe I just ordered the wrong things.
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Okay, just go. Really.
I'm so thankful to my friend John Jack because he brought me here once, and you cannot drag me away now before I get me my vegan sukiyaki dish with gyoza on the side. I am so serious here; I am not a vegan or a vegetarian so vegan shmegan. As my friend Jina mentioned once during dinner there, the vegetables are treated with the utmost respect, meaning that they are perfectly prepared - no soggy zucchini or squishy carrots. It all retains flavor and texture. Plus they serve lotus root, which reminds me of my grandparents' cooking, so props. Oh, and the avocado tempura roll? Delish.
Do remember that it's cash only for lunch (right?). Oh, and the pear dessert thing I was not crazy about, but maybe that's just me.
Update: Wow. I'm living in New York now, and I miss Cha Ya. So could you please go and take my tastebuds with you? (That'd be really creepy actually.) Just go enjoy it if you're at all close by! And then go down a block to get some Cheeseboard to go...
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Cha-Ya Special.
That's all I need to say.
I've never had something so amazing - so simple, yet so filling and tasty.
I'm really not sure what else to write - their sake selection is decent, normal beer selection, phenomenal food (easily the best vegan food I've ever had).
I find it funny that I never here Cha-Ya mentioned in lists of good vegan food, especially considering how mediocre other vegan places are. Seriously, I know you don't like hurting animals, but how about not just eating tofu-cheeseburgers. If you're going to make a statement, go all the way and eat food that doesn't just copy meat and dairy.
The only problem with this place is the wait - try to avoid it between 6:30 and 8 and you should be fine. And be patient - it's more fun to sit outside and watch the stressed out couple on their blackberries freaking out over the precious 25 minutes they're losing than to stress out.
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I went to Cha-Ya for the first time last week and will go back as often as possible. The food is delicious (yes, I am a meat eater) and I think it's some of the best Japanese food I've had. I ordered a combo meal and ended up taking half of it home -- so much food! The broiled eggplant and tofu with miso paste was amazing. I went alone which was great because I could sit at the bar and watch the chefs at work. The food came out so fast that I didn't even have time to enjoy my book. I do think it would be more fun -- food wise -- to go with someone who likes to share as there are so many great looking things on the menu.
I'm sorry I just don't "get it." We waited for over an hour to be packed in here with a shoe horn. The food was rather boring and very overpriced. Why oh why is there always a line?
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Disclaimer: I am not a vegetarian nor am I a vegan (I'm a "distant cousin" - a pescetarian) so I'll be writing from that perspective.
I agree with Alexander L.'s review - the food was pretty good but all the good stuff was deep-fried this or tempura that. My friend and I tried a brown rice vegetable bowl, vegetarian gyoza, spring egg rolls, a gyoza + vegetable mix soup and the vegan chocolate cake. The gyoza and spring egg rolls get 4.5 stars - DANG good. The best vegetarian gyoza and spring rolls I've tried yet. *Droooool* The rice bowl - bleh. Sort of bland, too much ginger (doesn't help that I'm not a fan of ginger) and not enough veggies. But, the vegan chocolate cake - DAYAMN that gets 5 stars. Oh. Mah. Gawd. Becky. Who would've though - vegan chocolate cake at a vegetarian Japanese restaurant? Only in Berkeley. The cake was nice and dense (I love fudge-y cakes) and it wasn't too sweet - sooooo good. Oh - and Cha-Ya has a pretty good green tea selection (at least 5 types, I believe).
The place is tiny and we had to sign up on a wait list but, we only waited for about 8-10 minutes. Although I thought some of the food was bland, I love the fact that I ate my fill and, for once, did not need to be rolled or wheelbarrow'ed out of the restaurant, nor did I wish I had worn elastic waist pants. It was a satisfying "full."
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I went there a few weeks ago around 8 30ish, and was really eager to eat here. My friends have told me great things about this place and I wanted it to be an awesome experience. The service was HORRIBLE! I was really disappointed, it took the waitress about 20 minutes to actually take my order. Then I asked for a glass of water, you would think that I would have gotten it close to the time that they served me, NO! I got my water after I finished my meal. I basically got it with the check! The food was really good, though. I loved the udon soup and the veggies. Overall, I give them two stars for crappy service but having delicious food that fills you up fast even though it is kinda pricey.
YUM YUM, vegan sushi, I went when they first opened, we ordered about 10 things from the menu. Have been back several times. I love the seaweed salad, its delicate and far surpasses any seaweed salad from high end sushi places. Great tempura rolls. Its just delicate, and wonderful flavors. If you are vegan you will love this place. It has cute folks cooking. Its fun to watch the women bustle behind the counter.
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nothing like a cheap casual lunch date, and much food and vegan and healthy too, well kept hood place, but ok for the most
This is pretty much my favorite restaurant.
![Dengaku set [(c)B.K. - no stealing!]](http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/uWKfkwUeErir7bmNlcLu_Q/xss)
![Chawan Mushi [(c)B.K. - no stealing!]](http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/MfzGQxXrvA742abDXpT0IQ/xss)
