An increasing number of people are placing restrictions on what they eat due to health concerns, religious beliefs, or beliefs. A barrier-free restaurant is a restaurant that proposes a delicious way to enjoy food, rather than treating food preferences as a barrier. Food is a reflection of the current times, such as the diversification of lifestyles and globalization. We picked three stores each from four categories: organic, halal food, low sugar & low calorie, and vegetarian. We will introduce barrier-free restaurants in Tokyo.

``Aji Farm'' is a Japanese restaurant located in a corner of a shopping street that retains a downtown atmosphere, about a 10-minute walk from Okachimachi, and is celebrating its 11th year this year. The owner, Junji Kawahara, runs the small shop by himself, with seven seats at the counter and one table. There are only two types of menu: "Aji Farmer Course (6,000 yen)" and "Vegetarian Course (6,000 yen)." With the exception of one dish in the ``Aji Farmer Course'', the kaiseki meal consists of almost all vegetables.

Kaiseki cuisine is faithful to the basics, starting with appetizers, bowls, fish and vegetables, fried foods, steamed foods, simmered foods, meals, and sweetness.Each item is ingenious and no corners are cut, right down to the sweetness at the end. They originally started with a single Kaiseki course that was centered around vegetables, but they received a lot of inquiries about vegetarians, so they decided to try cooking dishes for vegetarians as well. The contents are almost the same except for replacing the fish and vegetable dish with a vegetable dish.

However, the soup stock, which can be called the true essence of Japanese cuisine, is made with kelp from Hokkaido, bonito flakes from Makurazaki, Kagoshima, and dried sardines from Ibukijima, Kagawa, so animal ingredients are also used. The vegetarian course consists of only makonbu and vegetables, and it took me half a year to finally arrive at a taste that was comparable. ``I eat everything and drink alcohol.That's why I understand the importance of eating deliciously and staying healthy.Just by incorporating a vegetable-based menu into your regular diet, you will feel lighter. I want people to experience that,” Kawahara says. In fact, many of our repeat customers are gourmets who have an eye for delicious food.

It is surprising that he has continued to create new menus for more than 10 years, without repeating the menu that he launched once, but he says, ``The potential of vegetables is amazing. By combining them well, the possibilities are endless, and part of the fun is coming up with the menu,'' he said happily.

For example, for today's ``mumimono'', lightly seasoned turnips are hollowed out and stuffed with prepared tofu, green peppers, and shiitake mushrooms. On top of that, cheese made from soy milk is placed to give it a rich flavor, and then a thick bean paste made from dashi soy sauce is added. It's a very elaborate dish. The soft, steamed turnips have a variety of textures and flavors, making them extremely delicious. Yet, there is a gentleness that makes me feel relieved.

Aji Farm continues to be loved by people even though it is in a not-so-good location. It is likely to become even more popular in the future as people seek more natural and healthier foods.

(Titles omitted)

taste farmer
1-5-5 Torigoe, Taito-ku, Tokyo
03-3866-3795
11:30～13:30（13:00 L.O.）・17:30～22:30（21:00 L.O.）
*Lunch is only open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Sundays, holidays, and 2 days at the end of the month
Lunch 1,000 yen (tax included)
Dinner from 7,000 yen (tax included)
https://www.minoyavege.com/