The Yasai: Plant-Based Japanese Experience
Vegan restaurant · San Diego ·
Innovative organic vegan ramen, sushi, Japanese eats, & bao buns
Innovative organic vegan ramen, sushi, Japanese eats, & bao buns
"I noted The Yasai is a vegan sushi spot that more recently occupied the space adjacent to Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen’s flagship on Convoy Street, and its menus will continue to be offered in the shared space when Matsuoka Pure Sushi isn't operating." - Candice Woo
"I dined at chef Junya Watanabe’s 50-seat restaurant dedicated to vegan sushi and Japanese food, where the menu covers nigiri, specialty rolls, small plates, and ramen with beer, wine, and sake available." - Keri Bridgwater
"The latest from owner/executive chef Junya Watanabe is an ode to vegan and plant-based cuisine, Japanese style. Expect everything from nigiri sushi topped with tempura kabocha pumpkin to classic rolls, salads, gyoza, and no-chicken karaage." - Keri Bridgwater
"Contrasting the mildness of the veggie options at mother restaurant Rakiraki, The Yasai roars into the vegan ramen pool. “The Classic” pulls handcrafted noodles into a smokey broth topped with bamboo shoots, seaweed, grilled tofu cutlets, and charred kabocha squash, over wilted bean sprouts and green onions. A scattering of crunchy garlic chip finishes off the presentation." - Kelly Bone
"Opening in Kearny Mesa this weekend, Yasai brings Japanese sensibilities and ingredients to vegan cuisine in a 50-seat restaurant on Convoy Street, replacing Pokirrito where it was previously paired with popular noodle shop RakiRaki Ramen + Tsukemen. Owned by Junya Watanabe and partnered with chef Eduardo Fierro (formerly of vegan spot NoW Sushi), the eatery serves lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 11 p.m. and offers beer, wine, and sake. Fierro’s experience with vegan sushi shows in an extensive sushi menu that ranges from nigiri topped with fermented eggplant, roasted red pepper, and pickled pineapple with marinated konjac to specialty rolls like the King of the Clouds—filled with tempura kabocha squash, cucumber, and asparagus with avocado mousse and lotus root. Daily-made fresh tofu features in a warm chawanmushi, and the small-plates selection includes crispy gyoza, Brussels sprouts with wasabi mayo, and Japanese-spiced pretzel sliders made with Impossible Meat. The menu also includes a vegan tantanmen built on a from-scratch dashi and a spicy, creamy sesame broth, with customizable handmade noodles (classic and gluten-free options as well as strands enriched and colored with kale or beets). The shuttered Pokirrito next to Rakiraki in Little Italy will also be turning into The Yasai, likely early next year." - Candice Woo