Restaurant search site for food minorities

Supervisor / Recommender

Takako Doki

General Incorporated Association Japan Halal Business Association Secretariat Public Relations / Director

Click here for introduction

I am currently working as an editor. However, I experienced working as a cook in restrunts, hospitals, and catering industry. Looking back now, I was connected to the Idea of Hala, since then.
At one point, few decades ago, I worked in a cafeteria at an auction site. More than 60% of the visitors to the venue were foreigners, including many Muslims (There were mosque in the venue as well). I remember many people asked me about the food we serve, the types of meat and whether they are Hala qualified.
At a certain time, the cafeteria becomes lively like a festival. Because the Indian restaurant next door to the venue served food for free. Indian dish, such as biryani, curry and sweet drinks were served to the visitors. Over 100 foreigners dressed in red turbans, garabayas and folk costumes gathered in the cafeteria, and everyone had a great time surrounding the same table. Now I learned about Muslim culture, it was a fast-starting Iftar.
Also, I remember that many participants were only eating curry from the Indian restrunt, eventhough there were choices of other food. As I study about Halal, I learned that they did not chose to eat curry, but they did not have a choise. I personally think that they wanted to try some of the Japanese food, if they had a chose. I still regret that moment, when I could not do anything because of the lack of information. “Inconvenience” of food is quite different based on their cultural background, and therefore, I understand now, that it is crucial to create an environment where all people can enjoy delicious meal, regardless of their backgrounds.

In Japan, Halal food is still a minority. Many people from Muslim background visit Japan, but they fell enconvininet about it. Japan Halal Business Association advocates in the halal business: HAVO (Halal, Organic, Vegetarian, Allergy).
The idea is to aim to create products and services that many people can eat and use, regardless of their religion and various backgrounds.
Seeking for delicious, safe and secure meal is commonly shared through the nations. The time demand us to find new ways of living that transcend borders and religions. We hope that Halal will help eliminate food inconvenience and contribute to the harmony of the world where you can respect, coexist, and co-prosper with a more liberal idea to eating and enjoying food.

Vegetarian curry buffet near Shibuya station! Surprising cost of only 1000yen for all-you-can eat lunch with a free komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) vegan naan

Nataraj is an Indian vegetarian restaurant that has branches mainly across Tokyo. They offer beautiful dishes created with a wisdom of Ayurveda with an abundant of fresh vegetables grown on their own farm. These dishes are very delicious and healthy, prepared with high quality ingredients. Nataraj also attracts non-vegetarian customers as their delightful food can restore the balance of body and mind. The main restaurant is located in Ogikubo, and they have branches in Ginza and Omotesando in Tokyo and Tateshina in Nagano prefecture. Milan Nataraj is a 3-min walk from Shibuya station, located on the third floor of a building.

Entrance of Milan Nataraj Shibuya branch

Nataraj accomodates a variety of needs for vegans, oriental vegans, and lacto-vegetarians avoiding meat yet consuming dairy products which are quite common in India. They also highly value the customer’s health and wellness, therefore do not use any artificial seasonings, preservatives, artificial colorings, and genetically modified food. There are a wide selection of beautiful vegetarian curries that are made with plant-based ingredients such as beans and soymeat combined with spices and organic vegetables. As they are very particular about the quality of sugars and oils, you will notice the detoxifying effects that make your body feel healthier and lighter, instead of feeling heavy and greasy in your stomach that can be caused by typical Indian food.

My recommendation is definitely the lunch curry buffet which is a great deal. This buffet includes 4 different types of daily curry specials, natural yeast nann, komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) nann, turmeric rice, salads, and desserts that you can help yourself to as much as you like for 90 minutes.

4 types of “curries of the day”

Fresh salad directly from the farm

On the day of interview, there were mung bean curry, curry with turnips, potatoes, and cabbage, dal curry, and pumpkin curry. Pumpkin curry is mild curry cooked with milk. Turnips, cabbage, and potatoes that are grown on their own farm, this curry has a lot of flavors like stew with a hint of ginger. Mung bean curry is spicy curry with a different texture to dal curry. Although they are all categorised as vegetable curries, each curry is all quite different in flavour and how hot it is, making Nataraj very special.

Lunch curry buffet (1,000yen)

Dal (beans), pumpkin curry, natural yeast butter nann、mustard spinach nann

Nataraj menu is written in English and Japanese with detailed information of specific dietary needs such as vegan and allergies, so they create an atmosphere that many people can enjoy their food feeling at ease.

Lunch menu

Homemade dressing

Although the lunch buffet is very reasonable, this doesn’t mean that they compromise on the quality of food like it can be a typical case at many all-you-can-eat type of restaurants. Nataraj carefully selects the ingredients such as domestically-grown wheat and natural oil with no additives. These curries are cooked with lots of roughly-cut fresh vegetables which are very satisfying, also making them enjoyable for male customers.

Turnip, cabbege, and poptato curry

Nataraj also offers seasonal special menus prepared with fresh vegetables grown on their own farm, such as “Spinach curry gourmet fair” or “Pumpkin curry gourmet fair”.

A restaurant practicing “HAVO” naturally and harmoniously

Although there are fewer vegetarians in Japan compared to US or European countries, most customers coming to Nataraj are Japanese and they come here because the food is simply delicious. This means that vegetarians and non-vegetarians are also satisfied for the food in Nataraj. The taste is elegant, not overly spicy or sweet, and the balance between staple food, main dishes, and side dishes is great, which can be a reason that Nataraj is widely accepted by Japanese people.
The Japan Halal Business Association is promoting the development of HAVO, a product that combines halal, allergy-friendly, vegetarians, and organics. The concept is to expand the market by incorporating adjacent fields and aim for developing a menu that can be more accessible to more people.
Nataraj naturally practices this concept because of the Indian culture and philosophy. In India, there are a large population of vegetarians in the first place, and there are no dishes prepared with alcohol, so there are already natural halal & vegetarian-friendly menus to start with.
In addition, they accomodate the needs of allergy-friendly menus, such as organic vegetables grown on their own farm and gluten-free, making Natraj a pioneer of food diversity. The well-organised menu with pictograms gives you a good understanding of menu regarding whether it is vegan-friendly or allergy-friendly such as being free from wheat, eggs, nuts, and dairy. This ensures that customers enjoy their food feeling at ease.

You will feel healthier after eating! Beautiful organic & additive-free menus prepared with fresh vegetables from thier own farm that are great for your body and mind

Nataraj has an unwavering concept of “creating healthy vegetable dishes that make your body happy and leave you feeling comfortable after eating, fulfilling body and mind.” Unlike the restaurants simply offering vegetalian menus, it’s their hospitality that makes Nataraj special, being very particular about the ingredients such as natural yeast nann made of domestically-grown wheat, fresh vegetables grown on thier own farm and additive-free oil, wishing customer’s health and wellness.

Spinach and homemade cheese curry set meal (take-out）

As the concept suggests, there are certain people that feel the detoxifying effects such as feeling the comfortable warmth afterwards. I was one of them. I am not stoic vegetarian, but I have been choosing vegetarian/vegan options as I have not been founding meat as delicious for a while. I feel that vegetarian dishes are beneficial for my body, making me feel better. Although there is much smaller population of vegetarian in Japan compared to the Western countries, I think there might be quite a few people like me who notice the benefits of plant-based diet.

Each Nataraj restaurant has a different atmosphere. Nataraji Shibuya branch is very bright and spacious decorated with Chandelier and marble tables, adding a luxury touch.

Inside the restaurant Milan Nataraj Shibuya branch

Nataraj is a perfect place not only for those who wants to enjoy food in a calm atmosphere and health-conscious customers, but also for girl’s party, casual lunch and tea time.

Please come to experience their beautiful wholesome dishes full of the original tastes of fresh vegetables with a hint of Ayurvedic ancient wisdom.

「 Milan Nataraj Shibuya Branch」Basic information

Store name	Milan Nataraj Shibuya Branch
Tel	03-6416-9022
Address	3F Iwamoto building, 1-22-7, Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Business hours	11:30～23:00 (L.O.22:30)
Holiday	Open everyday（except year end / New years）
Budget	Lunch～1,500yen　Dinner 2,000yen～4,000yen
Payment method	Credit card accepted：VISA, JCB, AMEX, MASTER, Union Pay
Parking Lot	N/A
Language	Japanese, Hindu
Advance reservation
Cooking description	Indian vegetarian restaurant serving vegetarian/vegan/organics
Note	3-min walk from JR Shibuya station
Store HP