Japanese Restaurants Are Proving That Every Type of Seafood Under the (Rising) Sun Can Be Made Cruelty-Free—and Spectacular
For Immediate Release:
March 11, 2013
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Norfolk, Va. -- If you think of raw fish when you hear "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting consumers' growing demand for vegan sushi—that is, rolls free of the flesh of fish who are impaled, yanked out of the water, and cut open—by dishing up vegan lobster, scallops, and salmon in colorful rolls packed with fresh, flavorful fruits, vegetables, and much more. So PETA scoured the land to determine North America's top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi, and the results are in.
Taking the title is Loving Vegan, where the Amazing Roll—loaded with faux lobster, avocado, and cucumber and topped with grilled mushrooms—and the spicy "tuna" Dynamite Roll have won fans in Albuquerque, N.M., and beyond. Coming in a close second was Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, which specializes in vegan eel dishes, such as the unsurpassed faux eel with avocado roll. New York City's all-vegan Beyond Sushi grabbed third place, thanks to crisp, vegetable-packed rolls, such as the Mighty Mushroom, an enoki, shiitake, and tofu roll served with a rich shiitake teriyaki sauce.
Rounding out the top 10 are Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine in Markham, Ontario; New York's Soy & Sake; Kotobuki in Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; Sticky Rice in Baltimore, Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C.; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Vegan House in Los Angeles. Garnering an honorable mention is Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif.
"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we humans learn about how fish feel pain and fear and value their own lives, the less interested we tend to be in eating them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA is proud to recognize these restaurants for going above and beyond when it comes to offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."
All the winners and honorable mention will receive a framed certificate to display on their walls. For more details on all the restaurants,click here.