Kuumba du Falafel (Vegan in Tokyo, Japan)
/Falafel Plate at 100% vegan Kuumba du Falafel in Tokyo, Japan
Is it possible to find tasty, filling Mediterranean fast food in Tokyo, Japan at a 100% vegan establishment? Yes...just stop by Kuumba du Falafel!
We ordered the Falafel Plate, which came with five big pieces of falafel, fresh greens very artfully arranged and topped with a dollop of vegan pesto, and sides of hummus and tahini sauce. We also got the Hummus Plate...the hummus was well-seasoned and had a nice texture. Both plates came with warm, freshly baked pita bread. This was a nice break from the fancier places we had been dining at, but thankfully eating at a more laid-back place didin't mean we had to settle for lower-quality food. Our meal here was fresh, tasty, and satisfying. And it was quite clear that despite the counter-service atmosphere, a lot of effort was put into making each dish look attractive and appetizing.
Kuumba du Falafel is a small, casual place with only counter seating. They had jars of bulk nuts and dried fruit available for sale. We noticed that many of the regulars dropping in ordered the Pita Sandwich, which was huge. The two guys working there seemed a bit aloof when we first arrived, but when we thanked them for the delicious meal as we were leaving, they both smiled broadly and enthusiastically waved goodbye.
Kuumba du Falafel is located at ME Bldg 1F, 23-1 Shinsen-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, sort of underneath raised train rail tracks. It is currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 8:30pm, and on Sunday and holidays from 11:30am to 7pm. They are closed on Monday.
For links to more restaurant reviews from our July 2014 trip, please see our post "The Vegan Community in Japan is Alive and Well!".
Thanks for reading. Peace and love to all who live.
Susan