TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base

November 12, 2024 Roppongi / Azabu

>Vegan Mapo Tofu Vegan Menu Vegetarian Menu

Before going to the POKEMON x KOGEI Exhibition, I searched for a vegan restaurant nearby and discovered this “TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base”!

It’s quite an impactful name!

It’s pretty rare to find a plant-based mapo tofu!

I’d like to tell you about my visit to the restaurant here.

Access

Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line Roppongi Station Exit 5 or Exit 2 is the nearest station.

It is a 2-3 minute walk from Roppongi Station to the restaurant.

I used Exit 2 this time, so I show you the way from Exit 2 here.

When you exit Roppongi Station from Exit 2, turn right.

After walking for about 100 meters, you will see a path with stone stairs on the right, and the sign for “TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base” will be in front of you.

If you go up the stairs, you will arrive at TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base.

 

Go to TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base

The restaurant was located about 100 meters from Roppongi Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.

It would have been easier to find the restaurant if I had followed the main road (Shuto Expressway Route 3 Shibuya Line) in front of me , but I went down one street back from the main street somehow and almost got lost.

When I reached the end of the side street, I found a sign for “TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base” at the entrance of a building on the left, so I was able to find the restaurant inside the building.

Without this sighn, I could have gotten lost and wandered around.

Inside of TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base

At first, I imagined that it was a glistening Chinese restaurant with lots of Chinese people working there because the name of the restaurant was MAPO TOFU.

When I actually entered the restaurant, I found that it was a smaller space than I had imagined, and the people working there were Japanese.

I was actually grateful for this, as I was able to eat in a relaxed atmosphere without feeling self-conscious.

The interior of the restaurant had a Japanese snack-bar atmosphere, with counter seats that surrounded the kitchen in front.

It was 14:30, after lunch time, that there was only one other customer besides myself.

I sat at a seat at the far end of the counter.

The staff brought me a hot towel and cold tea in a glass.

I didn’t know what kind it was, but it was probably a medicinal herb tea and it was delicious.

Menu of TSUMINAKI MAPO TOFU Roppongi 100% plants base

I checked the menu on the table.

As the name suggests, the main menu item is Mapo Tofu.

There are standard, black, white, red mapo tofu, as well as cheese curry mabo tofu.

There is also a menu of gyoza, so I’m also interested in this.
This gyoza is also vegan.

All the Mapo Tofu dishes come with rice as part of the set.

Order Spicy Vegan Mapo Tofu 100% Plant Base Set Meal

I was also tempted by Black Vegan Mapo Tofu 100% Plant Base Set Meal, which was recommended in the menu, but in the end I ordered the most orthodox Spicy Vegan Mapo Tofu 100% Plant Base Set Meal.

The price is about $7 (1090 yen) including tax.

If it was a regular mapo tofu set meal, it might seem a little expensive (at least for Japanese people), but considering that it’s all plant-based vegan and the location in Roppongi, I think it’s a reasonable price.

To be honest, even the regular curry at CoCo ICHIBANYA (popular Japanese curry chain restaurant) is spicy for me, so I was a little worried about how I would feel if it was as spicy as the real mapo tofu in China.

After ordering, Spicy Vegan Mapo Tofu 100% Plant Base Set Meal was ready in about 2 minutes.
Probably the fastest speed I’ve ever experienced at a vegan restaurant!

The staff told me I could add the three spices to my liking to enjoy the mapo tofu.

Personally, I thought the way the rice was served looked a bit like a manga, which was interesting.
If the rice was served it in the large size, it would be a mega-serving rice for Goku of Dragon Ball.

I enjoy mapo tofu without adding anything first.

Mapo tofu was flavored with Chinese spices, it was more authentic flavor than I expected!

Still, I felt it has a balanced flavor that incorporates the mild taste of Japanese food into authentic Chinese cuisine.

It wasn’t as spicy as I had imagined, and even I, who usually find curry of Coco ICHIBANYA spicy, was able to eat it.

The ingredients inside are also tasty, with a crisp texture that retains the freshness of the bamboo shoots.

The spices on the small plates were probably broad bean paste, vinegar and sesame oil.

I thought it might be too much if the bean-paste sauce was very spicy, but it was fine to add it all in for me.

The flavor changed completely when I added vinegar, but it was tasty in its own way.

Sesame oil really went well with mapo tofu, and it made the dish even more delicious!

It’s nice that we can enjoy it by adding our favorite flavors, aren’t we!

“How was everything?”
The staff asked me.

“Yes, it was tasty”
I replied.

If we were not told, we wouldn’t know that this mapo tofu is made entirely from plants.
I told him.

“This restaurant was originally in Kameido in Tokyo, but it moved here and reopened in October.”
He told me when I asked about the shop.

“Many people from overseas also come here?”
I asked.

“Yes, half of our customers are people from overseas, and half are from Japan”
He said.

I see, because of the location of Roppongi and the fact that it’s a vegan specialty store, they get a lot of customers from overseas, don’t they!

We talked about various things after that, and he was a very pleasant and easy person to talk to.

Summary

The vegan mapo doufu was delicious and had a real authentic flavor!

Perhaps if it had been made according to a authentic Chinese cuisine, it would have been hotter and spicier, but it had a slightly milder and gentler flavor of Japanese cuisine in it, so it was easy to eat.

The staff at the shop was also very easy to talk to, and I felt like I kept talking, staying for a long time.

The vegan gyoza also looked delicious, so if I have a chance to visit again, I’d like to order some!

I recommend this restaurant for those looking for vegan food in the Roppongi area!