Crayon House - Hiroba

Again I haven't posted a new article here for a looong looong time and most of the former readers of this blog might already have forgotten about or given up checking for updates. Anyway I hope there are still some people interested in nice, vegetarian Japanese food around, since I have some more recommendations for you. Today I want to write about one of the more well-known organic restaurants in Tokyo, the Hiroba at Crayon House in Kita-Aoyama, just a few steps off Omotesandô. This friendly place is located in the basement of a building that also houses a toy- and bookstore and a shop for all kinds of organic products, from vegetables to soaps. The restaurant itself is not 100% vegetarian, but you will be happy to find lots of vegetarian and vegan options and staff that understands what you mean when you ask for vegetarian food... As far as I remember there was only a few a la card dishes, but a huge buffet that indulged us with a variety of savoural sensations. The fare was partly with a western influence, yet always with a Japanese twist and utterly fresh and delicious. There were soups, salads, vegetables boiled, pickled or fried, brown or semi-refined rice, pasta, tofu, mushrooms, seaweed - in short: too many wonderful things for just one plate, so of course I had to get a refill. Or two.
I can also highly recommend to try the lovely cakes and tartes - they are as good as they look, if not even better!
The price for the lunch is 1260 Yen, not too much for an all organic, all-you-can-eat buffet. You can also find a bilingual menu on their website and have a look at the lunch set and recipe of the day (in Japanese only).
Yes, the menu is bilingual and so are many of the guests. I spotted quite a few non-Japanese people, many with their (partly Japanese) families. There were many kids around, playing on the patio under and between the tables packed with guest. It is a rather jolly atmosphere and it can get pretty crowded, so do not expect a silent, contemplative place with a Zen spirit, but a friendly restaurant with naturally good food.

Crayon House
Organic Restaurant Hiroba
オーガニックレストラン「広場」
東京都港区北青山3－8－15

3-8-15 Kita-Aoyama,
Tokyo, Minato-ku; 3406-6492 [click to see map]

open: 11:00am-10:00pm

TEL. 03－3406－6409