One of the few complaints I have about Japan is that not many restaurants take reservations (or at least not many vegan ones). I accept that this is probably based on bad experiences for the restaurant owners, but as a very responsible appointment keeper/canceller, it is a frustrating policy for me. That problem is exacerbated when you visit a teeny tiny restaurant like Vegan Izakaya Nijiya that only seats seven.

We knew in advance that there were only seven seats, so we plotted to arrive early to ensure we got seated right away at opening time, 5.30pm. We arrived at 5.05pm and were the first in the queue. By 5.20pm, there were more than seven people in the queue, meaning that some of those people would be waiting quite some time to get in. The restaurant opened promptly at 5.30pm. The maximum dining time is 1 hour, and that was about how long each dining group took, so for anyone in the queue it is a long old wait.

All three of us ordered the set menu, called the nijiya course – it’s also possible to get the large nijiya course or to pick and choose what you want from the menu, but we were happy to try a bit of everything. Each round of food arrived quite quickly, but we didn’t feel rushed.

To start, we were served yuzu tofu and yuba. The yuzu tofu was the star of the show here, the sauce was so zingy and refreshing. Mother HH is not a tofu fan and even she enjoyed this one (though not the yuba).

The soy meat yakitori came next. I thought it was fantastic, really tender and tasty. Dr HH thought it was just standard mock meat though.

Next came two dumplings, which were fine but not really remarkable, in terms of flavours.

The obanzai assortment was next, which was five little dishes. We all enjoyed the deep fried tofu, braised aubergine, and candied yams (which were not very sweet). Nobody was too dazzled by the radish, which was a bit bland, and I really disliked the taste of the mustard greens, but my companions loved them – I think that’s just personal preference.

Next we received the soy meat yakiniku, which we all agreed this time was just standard soy meat. It was a bit chewier and tougher than I would have liked. I’m not familiar with the original dish though, so maybe it was totally accurate. It wasn’t bad, but certainly not the best course.

The osuimono soup was the only real dud of the meal for us, with all three of us agreeing it was quite bland and insipid, unfortunately.

The grilled miso rice balls were good fun – plenty of rice to ensure we were full, and tasty miso on top. The grilling left it with a slightly bitter taste to me, but Dr HH thought it was absolutely perfect. Mother HH had never had really had miso before, and this was a bit too strong an introduction for her.

But we were all in agreement about the dessert! We finished with chocolate yokan, which was really decadent and rich, kind of like a smooth truffle texture.

While everything was good, truthfully if I’d had to wait an hour I think I’d have been a little bit underwhelmed. The seasoning was a bit off in places, and it takes a lot to warrant standing and waiting for food for me. Also, the seating is at a bar on high stools, which is never my favourite arrangement.

That said, the menu is creative and fun, with some dishes that were totally new to me and some I was eager to try veganised. The restaurant is absolutely tiny and it’s really impressive how the two women prepare all the dishes in such a small space. I really admire what they’re doing, and recommend it – if you get the timing right for a short wait.