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.

"Saime" is a hideaway-like restaurant just a few minutes walk from Kagurazaka Station. There is no signboard, just a small business card placed in the window. There is nothing unnecessary in the store, only the bare essentials. The world of owner Hiromoto Shimada is expanding. The menu consists of only 10 courses. It consists of eight vegetables, porridge, and either dried fish from Tottori Prefecture or Kurobuta pork from Saitama Prefecture. The only alcohol available is Patrick Debra's bio wine, Julien Frémont's cider, and sake from Itakura Sake Brewery in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture. The vegetables they handle are completely pesticide-free, and only come from a few farmers in Saitama Prefecture. I visit these farmers at least once a month to help them with their field work and exchange information.

Just because the food is pesticide-free cannot speak to the deliciousness of this restaurant's food. Even within the category of pesticide-free and organic cultivation, the properties of vegetables vary depending on the grower. Some people take great care to grow their crops to prevent insects and weeds from growing, while others believe in the inherent power of crops and leave them to nature without doing as much as possible. Although there is a risk of pests and weeds, the result is a powerful crop. No seasoning, or just salt, miso, or a little soy sauce. For cooking, earthenware is used for baking, boiling, and steaming. Earthenware has a unique heat-conducting property and has many air holes, allowing the material to cook gently and slowly, rather than boiling over like metal pots.

He says his role is to respect the farmers he sells and bring out the full potential of the wonderful vegetables they produce. Avoid cutting vegetables as much as possible. On this day as well, the whole eggplant was placed on a piece of earthenware and set on fire. This is because adding a knife changes the taste of the vegetables. There are many restaurants that are particular about their cooking, but few chefs are as stoic as this one. Every time I have a conversation with him, I'm impressed, but I also feel like he's a bit of an eccentric.

The okra is boiled in a large earthenware pot until it has an indescribably gentle flavor. The okra is so soft that it melts in your mouth, so you can bite into it without any hesitation, but the flavor is strong and you can enjoy the firm flavor. Molokheiya is simply boiled and coated with a small amount of soy sauce, so there is no astringent taste. The thick, slightly creamy leaves are surprisingly delicious. The food served at this restaurant has a strong impact and excitement that will change the way you think about vegetables.

(Titles omitted)

Saime
33 Hirano Building Garden Hills Ichigaya, 101 Natomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
090-9813-9980
18:00～23:00
Sunday
Dinner 5,000 yen (excluding tax)
https://www.facebook.com/saime515/