Ungai - Matsushima

A lunch in ungai was my first time to experience Buddhist vegetarian shijinryori cooking. the entrance to ungai is a simple wooden door next to the entrance to the entsuin tempel. from there you go a little down to another world. ungai is divided into a series of small private rooms. the room where I was had a pleasant view of the gardens of entsuin tempel. the food came in a red lacquered chest. while I didn't understand exactly what I had eaten - I had never had to borrow, sweet and other dishes prepared for this wise, but the presentation was excellent and seasonal light and tasty. I loved to try different sorts of tofu from what I've ever had. I had cooked with some of the Japanese sansai and winter vegetables, but never had they prepared in this type of sesame, miso and other subtle marinades. as a bonus before we left our party was even greeted by woman amano, one of the priests of the entsuin tempel. it is nice that this restaurant supports an active tempel, which is also worth visiting and is a bargain at 300 yen.

If you speak Japanese, it is worth calling ahead and asking if a meal can be prepared for vegetarians without any animal products. For vegans, list all ingredients you want to be excluded and ask if it can be accommodated. I visited the restaurant with my husband who eats everything. He speaks a little Japanese so he asked about vegan options for me and was told it was possible. We made a reservation an hour in advance and walked there from the nearby temples. In short, the food was delicious and varied, with several courses of small portions served over the 1.5 hours we were there. The presentation was impeccable, and we dined in a separate room overlooking the garden. The cost of the vegetarian set and the fish set was just over 10,000 yen, which I thought was reasonable for the experience. However, the standard course was not vegan, containing Dashi, small fish, possibly milk, butter, and eggs. I recommend calling ahead to see if alternative arrangements can be made.

If you speak Japanese, it's worth calling ahead to ask if a meal can be prepared without dashi for vegetarians. For vegans, list all the ingredients you want to be excluded and inquire if it can be accommodated. I visited the restaurant with my omni husband, who speaks a bit of Japanese and inquired about vegan options for me. We booked a table an hour in advance and took a stroll around the nearby temples. In summary, the food was delicious and diverse, with various courses of small portions served over the 1.5 hours we were there. The presentation was impeccable, and you have the option to dine in a separate room overlooking the garden. The cost of a vegetarian set and a fish set was just over 10,000 yen, which I was told is reasonable for such an experience. However, the standard course was not vegan, containing dashi in several dishes, some small fish, and potential use of milk, butter, and eggs. It's recommended to call ahead and inquire about possible vegan arrangements.

My first experience of Buddhist vegetarian shjinryori cooking was at Ungai for lunch. The restaurant is located next to the Entsuin temple, marked by a simple wooden gate. Upon entering, you are transported to a different world. Ungai is divided into small private rooms, with my room offering a lovely view of the gardens at Entsuin Temple. The food was served in a red lacquered chest, comprising of beans, fruits, vegetables, and other dishes prepared in a way I had never experienced before. The presentation was excellent, with seasonal dishes that were light and tasty. I particularly enjoyed the variety of tofu and the unique preparations of Japanese Sansai and winter vegetables with sesame, miso, and other subtle marinades. As a bonus, we were greeted by Ms. Amano, one of the Priests from the Entsuin Temple before we left. It was a nice touch to know that the restaurant supports the temple, which is also worth a visit for only 300 yen.

If you are looking for a vegetarian or vegan meal at this restaurant, it is recommended to call ahead to see if they can accommodate your dietary preferences. I visited the restaurant with my husband, who speaks a little Japanese and was able to inquire about vegan options for me. We made a reservation an hour in advance and walked from a nearby temple to get there. The meal was delicious and varied, with multiple courses of small portions served over the course of 1.5 hours. The presentation was impeccable and we were able to dine in a separate room with a view of the garden. The cost of a vegetarian set and a fish set was just over 10,000 yen, which we found to be reasonable for the experience. It's worth noting that the standard course may contain non-vegan ingredients such as fish, milk, butter, and eggs, so it is best to inquire beforehand.