Eat Well: Tsumugu Cafe - Ikebukuro

Down the street from Rikkyo University and a short 10-minute walk from Ikebukuro station you’ll find Tsumugu cafe. This small restaurant specializes in Taiwanese and oriental vegetarian cuisine with plenty of vegan options. The feeling of this cafe reminds me of a cozy cottage and it’s somewhere you can relax for hours while enjoying traditional and fusion Taiwanese meals. We often come here on dates with our partner.

Many of the items on the menu at Tsumugu Cafe are made with traditional Chinese medicine in mind, so they’re not only filling but also healthy. On this visit, we decided to try the lunch set, which included two soups, salad, and dumplings. Let’s get into it.

The first soup we tried was a small bowl of vegetables in a light, clear broth. Seaweed, small diced pumpkin, and corn all swam happily together in the hot broth, leaving me saying, “That’s good soup.” Though simple, it was surprisingly delicious and satisfying.

Next, we took a stab at the salad. We’re not the type to enjoy salads, but this one was okay. The ingredients tasted super fresh with crisp leaves of lettuce and spinach studded with tomato and corn. It was dressed simply with oil and vinegar to add a pop of flavor. Refreshing, but not exciting.

The plate of dumplings was quite filling and we wish there had been more than four. Gently wrapped in a pleasantly chewy dough was a mix of mock meat, mushrooms, ginger, and minced veggies. They were coated in chili oil and vinegar with the slightest hint of spice that even those with a low tolerance to spicy foods would be able to enjoy. If they sold packs of the dumpling-sauce combo in stores we would definitely work it into our meal prep rotation.

And finally, the main attraction was a larger bowl of herbal soup. In traditional Chinese medicine, black foods should be eaten in winter and that was well represented in this dish. The black vinegar broth was a touch sour, syrupy, and cloying. Which contrasted with the taste of the first soup we tried. There was a bounty of fillings including mushrooms (enoki, wood ear, and shiitake), dates, goji berries, carrot, coriander, ginger, and a slice of soy ham. The rice noodles were perfectly cooked. This was a fruity, sweet, and sour experience we weren’t expecting. Usually, we drink the broth, but after such a filling meal and with such potent flavors, we couldn’t finish it.

As usual when we visit Tsumugu Cafe, we felt full and satisfied at the end of the meal. This lunch set was reasonably priced, our service was good, and there’s always a table at this friendly neighborhood restaurant. Overall, we’ll give our meal a 3/5. We’ll be back in the future to try some more of their vegan friendly options and share the experience with ravenous readers. For now, eat well.