This place just opened earlier this month, and we happened to stumble upon it when we couldn't get a table at Evvia restaurant lol. So since we were already on Emerson Street in downtown Palo Alto, off of University Ave, this place looked intriguing (the sushi chef was torching something behind the counter)! A lucky change in plans! 😛
We got seated quickly and it's super nice, well designed interior (earthy, calm vibes) and cozy too. They haven't got their liquor license yet so they had some nice mocktails ($10), I got the berry bliss one and hubby got the shiso shrub one.
Everything tastes really intentional and fresh, like they used high quality ingredients and pared interesting flavors together.
For sure, our favorite was the Point Reyes roll which was bursting with flavor. Couldn't even tell there was no raw fish in it!
So yes, it's a vegan sushi place, 100% plant based. This is great if you don't like or can't eat raw fish (hello my pregnant friends out there) or you are just curious to try something new. Honestly when I think of vegetarian sushi, I think of cucumber and cucumber avocado sushi rolls, so this kind of tore down my misconception about how plant-based sushi rolls could taste! 🤯💥
There are other sister locations of this restaurant and it's a Hawaiian inspired Japanese fusion place, so you see that in some of the dishes/drinks like the Lilikoi iced tea.
We also liked this mushroom and potato dish that comes with fire - that's literally listed as one of the ingredients lol.
Also got the manila dune roll - not as much flavor as the first one, but I liked the crispy chip on top!
We also got the brussel sprouts too, a big portion and a little spicy with the chili threads on top.
We got the pot stickers too (they were alright), and the agedashi tofu but I didn't really like the texture on it, maybe because of the gluten free breading they used.
Anyhow, all in all, the bill was about $135 including tip for two of us with all those plates and 2 drinks. We had a lovely date night here. I welcome this addition to Palo Alto as a unique take on sushi that can accommodate more dietary styles (many items are also gluten-free!).
Summary: Try the Point Reyes roll!!
Tane Vegan Izakaya
461 Emerson St
Palo Alto, CA 94301