Every once in a rare while you get to taste something that is so delicious and such a cut above the rest, that even while you’re experiencing it, you realize that this very moment is going to be memorable. That’s how I felt on my recent visit to Shojin, the vegan Japanese restaurant in Little Tokyo. Specifically, my rapture revolved around their exquiste BBQ seitan, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
You may recall my previous visit to Shojin restaurant back when my lucky friends and I were invited to their special pre-opening tasting dinner. That meal was excellent in every way, so it’s a mystery to me as to why I hadn’t been back since then.
To correct this oversight, one of my lovely foodeating assistants treated me to lunch at Shojin. The lunch menu had a limited selection from the full menu, but there were plenty of great options to choose from. To start our meal, our main entrees were served with soup and a side salad.
Even though it was a really hot day outside, the warm soup was light and refreshing. It was a delicious quinoa soup made with fresh organic vegetables that our waiter proudly and excitedly let us know had been acquired fresh just a few hours earlier at the nearby farmers market. Awesome! The small salad was crispy, tasty and super fresh as well.
We also ordered the Cold Green-Tea Buckwheat Noodles: Garnished with shiso leaf, grated radish and ume paste (pickled plum), mixed sea vegetables, kaiware sprouts (sprouted daikon radish seeds) and scallions, topped with roasted sesame seeds and nori (seaweed). This was beautiful and came served with a slightly salty, I’m guessing soy-based dipping sauce. I really liked the green tea noodles but I’m not a huge fan of sea-flavored stuff, and this had a bit too much of the ocean going on in it for my taste. If you are a lover of all manner of seaweeds and sea veggies, this one is for you.
Ah, but when our main dishes arrived is when things got really exciting! We both ordered the Shojin Style Bento Box which changes with different daily specials from three kinds of traditional vegetable dishes, brown rice and a choice between the Crispy Seitan Cutlet, Barbecued Seitan or Garden Seitan ball. Thank goodness there were two of us so we could each try the others! I went straight for the BBQ seitan while she got the cutlet.
From top left to right up there, first is the Kale & Mashed Tofu Salad: lightly steamed kale in mashed tofu & sunflower seeds. This was ok but the flavor was very simple, almost bland, so it was a little bit overwhelmed by the other stronger flavors it came served with. On the top right is a hijiki seaweed, carrot and gobo salad which I wasn’t crazy about. I know I should get over it because it’s all so healthy for me, but still I can only take so much of that sea taste. A little goes a long way.
On the bottom left of the bento box are some of the most deliciously prepared lotus roots that I’ve ever tasted. These were so good, done in the traditional Japanese style, but done perfectly. Then we get to exactly what made this a meal I won’t be forgetting any time soon… the barbecued seitan.
Shojin’s BBQ seitan is pan fried with their secret sweet soy barbecue sauce. It’s fantastic, I’m literally drooling right now as I’m remembering it, trying to explain it to you while knowing that mere words just aren’t enough. I’ve never had seitan that tasted anything like this before, the texture was the work of a true seitanic master.
This will probably gross some of you out, but have you ever tried eel before? Yeah, real eel from a sushi restaurant. Well, eel does not have a fishy taste at all and has a very silky, fatty texture a lot like salmon (eel sushi is usually not served raw, but grilled). Ok, gross part almost over- point being that this seitan achieved that same type of texture which reminded me a lot of eel… it was silky and had a fatty mouth-feel to it, without being at all oily or greasy. Slighty crispy on the edges with a meaty bite to it, this seitan is what finger licking good is all about, though I did not use my fingers. The BBQ sauce was totally amazing, sweet and savory and bold and just… wow!
Here’s a close-up of my friends pick, the Crispy Seitan Cutlet: Deep fried crispy seitan cutlet with home made miso demi-glace sauce. This was equally great, the seitan we already just discussed was incredible… so just imagine “incredible” times “fried” and this is what you’d get.
We both loved it, all of it, even the parts we didn’t love. The BBQ seitan seriously blew me away and I can’t wait to go back there to get the full order of just that. The folks who run Shojin are just so friendly and eager to please that the whole time we were there we couldn’t wipe the smiles off of our faces. It’s almost like going to a fancy spa, but with great food instead of a massage. While it’s true that the location is a little odd (inside a Japanese mall on the edge of Little Tokyo that’s about to become a Korean mall), I actually really like going there. It’s a totally different world, and Shojin offers a wonderful way to experience it. Go there for the lunch specials or go there for a more elaborate dinner with unique Japanese desserts. Either way it’s a win/win situation.
Speaking of dessert, it’s one of my favorite reasons to visit Little Tokyo. In particular, my sweet tooth satisfies itself at Fugetsu-Do Sweetshop which specializes in traditional mochi treats.
“Mochi is a Japanese confection, found usually in the shape of a small, round rice cake which can be eaten with condiments such as kinako (roasted soy bean flour), manju (sweet red bean paste), soy sauce dip, and seaweed. Traditionally, mochi is made by pounding steamed glutinous rice in a large wooden mortar, called the usu, with a wooden mallet called the kine. Mochi-tsuki is the Japanese term for the old-style method of pounding the steamed glutinous rice used to make mochi.”
They’re usually filled with sweetened red, white or azuki beans as well as various tasty fillings. Most all of them are completely vegan. I’m 100% addicted to mochi desserts and if left to run wild in their cute little shop, I could do both myself as well as their inventory some serious damage.
We got ourselves a nice assortment. Those on the top row that are wrapped in shiso leaves are my favorite. They are called Kuzumochi: Mochi filled with sweet azuki bean paste. Their website says that this is a seasonal item which is only available in the month of July, but they usually seem to have it available whenever I got there (and this was mid-August when we got them). While they are sweet they’re also slightly salty, a really nice combo. The pink ones are filled with white bean paste and the texture reminds me a lot of… wait for it… testicles. It’s true, but in a good way. Soft, chewy & tasty pink baby testicles. Don’t blame me, I didn’t invent the stuff. I don’t remember exactly what the other two had going on, but you can rest assured it probably involved some kind of sweetened bean (if I recall correctly the orange ones were indeed orange flavored). Mochi treats are awesome, and frankly, I’d rather see mochi take over the world than cupcakes.
I suggest indulging in a fun and filling afternoon in Little Tokyo. Ease the stress factor by riding the Metro into Downtown and choose your own adventure depending on which of the nearby stations you exit at. Head on over to Shojin on 3rd St. at Alameda for a remarkable lunch, then walk on down to 1st to Fugetsu-Do and get your fill of sweet mochi to wash it all down with. Don’t forget to enjoy all the fun stuff in between, you’re going to need to walk off some of that food.
(Update) – I just also discovered that Fugetsu-Do has a branch location inside of the Mitsuwa Market, which guess what… is situated inside of the same mall as Shojin! I have not had the mochi from there and I would still suggest checking out their main shop on 1st because it’s really cute, but now there’s no excuse to avoid the mochi if you’re at Shojin, since all you’ve got to do is walk to the other end of the mall to get yourself some. Sweet.
www.theshojin.com
www.fugetsu-do.com
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OMG, thanks for the Mochi info!!!! I feel like I’ve been missing out on half the fun of going to shojin by missing out on that Sweets place! I’m so there!!!
did i just read that correctly? the mochi reminds you of BALLS!?!?!?! baby balls?! wtf! ummmmm i gotta try it and see for myself. definitely no food review has ever caught my attention so much! regarding shojin, definitely awesome seitan! i love what they do with it. i’ve only been there once and it seemed a bit pricey, but i am definitely eager to try it out again. definitely a wonderful restaurant.
The bento box presentation is so elegant!
I really enjoyed reading about mochi. Sounds like it might be a fun thing to try making at home. Great post!
Ooh, I’m so happy you were able to return to Shojin. You also reminded me that we still need to take our little adventure to the mochi shop so I can experience it, too!
Lex You are in for a quite a treat!
quarrygirl: Yep… baby balls all the way… I stand by my word! Seriously, you gotta go out there and try those pink mochi. I defy anyone to feel and taste that texture and not come away with the distinct impression of little immature testes. I’m so not even kidding! And don’t cheat by buying some of those packaged mochis at the Asian markets, it’s just not the same. If you want the full testacular experience you need eat them fresh out of the display case at Fugetsu-Do.
As for Shojin, it’s definitely not cheap but I didn’t feel it was too expensive for what you get. The prices at somewhere like M Cafe are much higher, and while the food is awesome you don’t get the fancy atmosphere and 1st class treatment you do at Shojin. They made us feel like royalty there! I do think it’s an excellent choice for dinner, especially for a nicer occasion like a birthday or anniversary.
Vegyogini: Any time you want some balls in your face, you just let me know!
Ooo the Shojin meals looks muy tasty — I still have yet to try but gotta bump it higher on my list now; thanks for the review!
how does one become a food eating assistant?
Scott: Becoming one of my foodeating assistants is a fairly simple process which does not involve much training or preparation. The basic procedures that most of my apprentices follow usually go something like this:
Potential assistant: Hey Foodeater… Wanna go out for lunch?
Foodeater: Hell yes!
Primary qualifications for this position are: an adventurous nature willing and eager to go to new places and eat new things, the ability to move from consuming über-healthy foods to just as quickly being able to feast in gluttonous abandon on vegan junk food, and the candidate must also possess an enjoyable personality and a tendency towards sharing and sampling.
Whiny faces or annoyed comments when I start taking pictures of the food are immediate grounds for termination.
Applications are always being accepted!
baby balls!!!!!! yes! count me in! i have never been so intrigued! right on about shojin…although it is way expensive, i can tell what i am eating is gonna make me walk on water or something. seriously, i don’t think i’ve ever tasted food so healthy. i guess the portions were a little small and i may have ordered the wrong thing. definitely want to go back soon.
quarrygirl: We should start spreading the rumor that eating at Shojin gives you the power to walk on water. That will ensure that they stay in business forever.
Hey, I just wanted to thank you for posting about Hugo’s Tacos in a previous post.. My husband and I were helping my sister-in-law just move to the valley last night. We were hungry and I remembered reading about Hugo’s Tacos on your blog.
We LOVED it!!!
We all ordered the soy chorizo tacos and they were out of this world. We can’t can’t wait to go back. You’re awesome!!! Thank you so much.
We use to frequent KING TACO back in our meat eating days and we always wanted to find a vegan equivalent. And THANKS to you, we just did.
Mochi as baby testicles? Hmm, I could see that. I’ll have to keep that in mind next time I get invited to a Bataille-themed potluck. Although in my mind, inari has always reminded me overwhelmingly of adult-testicle skin (if it were sweeter and more delicious).
Different Asian countries have different types of manju. It’s not really fair to compare them, because they use different types of rice and sugar. When the filling is dark, it’s azuki. When it’s white, it’s lima bean. I’m not kidding. It’s lima bean with a whole lot of sugar. The red bean has a lot of sugar too.
Also, I thought these were called manju, and the rice ones were mochi or mochigashi. (Mochi being the pounded rice, with or without sugar added.) So I had to look it up, and found they’re called wagashi (or kashi is what I’ve heard, too — in reference to sweets as well as sembei). The rice ones are mochigashi, and the wheat based ones are manju. (But they always seem to have red beans in them…) The red bean paste is called “an”, as in an-pan, a bean filled roll. Also, I think the leaf is a cherry leaf, not shiso, which is delicate and aromatic. (It’s like the whole sush-and-sashimi naming problem all over again.)
alienation: All of the information that I posted about the mochi comes directly from the people at the Fugetsu-Do Sweetshop who make them. I’m certainly no expert on the topic, I just love eating them… but I can tell you that anywhere I’ve ever had these types of desserts, at least here in California, they’ve been referred to as mochi. Considering that’s what the folks who make it are calling it, I’ll stick with that name.
I’m not sure what you are referring to about it being “unfair to compare them”, as I don’t think I was comparing anything, only noting that they were all delicious.