York restaurant Ippuku’s Veganuary menu celebrates the authentic flavours of Japan – and is a must try, says Rory Buccheri
January is a month full of opportunities for hospitality venues, as increasingly popular Veganuary pushes restaurateurs to put their creative hats on.
This year is even more special, as the York-founded initiative to eat plant-based for the month of January celebrates its 10th anniversary.
“Japan has a rich history of vegan cuisine,” says Fran Cowdry, owner of Ippuku Tea House.
“This menu was created to celebrate that, giving people a taste of modern-day vegan Japanese cuisine, as well as a few items re-invented uniquely by us.”
Ippuku is a favourite spot, for some customers constituting the very first taste of a new cuisine, and for others meaning a homecoming to classic favourites.
The Veganuary menu is not any different. A stellar three course option for £30, the menu starts with a hearty plant-based soup and onigiri (a soy-glazed, grilled rice ball with an indulgent filling).
What is extra special about this Veganuary menu is that it will change every week, and continue until Spring to best celebrate seasonality and freshness of produce.
Part of recreating Temple Food, known as Shojin Ryori, is celebrating the seasonal specialties, says Chef Cowdry.
I couldn’t have asked for a better start: the onigiri was a real treat, and I found myself thinking – between the melty, savoury filling and crispy, perfectly glazed rice – “why would I miss the meat?”
The real star of the show is the teishoku set, a tray with a variety of items, from pickle and veg to grilled pancakes, rice, and tofu. The set also follows a ‘omakase’ style, which means chef’s choice on what is available each week.
The okinomiyaki, a small, flower-shaped grilled pancake packing full umami, and the smooth and sour yudofu tofu were a true revelation. You don’t often see them in Japanese menus, let alone vegan ones.
Chef Cowdry, in fact, can take credit for having created a vegan version of okinomiyaki – which I dare speculate will become a regular after customers realise they can’t get enough of it.
If you think three courses are too much, the teishoku set gives you a flavour of everything, and has an individual price of £18.
Finish your meal with a vegan dessert, choosing from a rich and moussy tofu cake to their classic Matcha bakes, or stellar vegan pudding.
Chef Cowdry has given us the exclusive on what’s on this week (January 22-28):
- 1st course – unpenjiru ‘cloud’ soup with crunchy greens and imo mochi onigiri
- 2nd course – Teishoku set, with okinomiyaki, yudofu tofu, and variety greens (including cauliflower, spinach, pickle)
- 3rd – strawberry matcha tofu pudding
Ippuku’s Veganuary menu will run until the end of February with a new, exciting combination every week.
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