Vegan Sushi

Though it may not sound like it to you or your friends, sushi is often an excellent option for vegan dining. Why? Because sushi means "vinegared rice." Sushi does not have to mean dead sea animals.

Here's what most sushi restaurants have to offer to vegetarians and vegans:

• edamame (steamed and usually salted soy beans)
  
• vegetable roll (a mix of about 4 vegetables rolled up in rice and nori)
  
• asparagus roll
• avocado roll
• plum roll
• cucumber roll
• other types of vegetable or fruit rolls
  
• inari (rice inside a bean curd "boat")
  
• vegetable tempura (fried veggies)
  
• vegetable tempura roll (fried veggies inside rice and nori)
• vegetable gyoza (ask to make sure it's vegan)
  
• miso soup (a salty soup with bits of nori and tofu. Double check with your waiter, though, because sometimes it's made with a fish base rather than a vegetable base, thus some miso soup is not vegan.)
• salads (often vegan, but ask to make sure)
  

The other great thing about sushi restaurants is that they're virtually always willing to make you something special. In fact, many sushi chefs take pride in making something off the menu, just for you. Just tell your server or the chef that you're a vegan and ask if they can make you something special.

In Las Vegas, you'll have no trouble at all finding a sushi restaurant. They are all over the place!

But a few sushi places stand out above the others. One is Kaizen because they offer brown rice sushi, making the already healthy meal of vegetable sushi and even healthier choice. And the edamame appetizer comes free. However, they do not offer vegan miso soup and they don't even have a "vegetarian" or "vegan" section on the menu. But they will accomodate vegans gladly. Kaizen in located at 10271 S. Eastern Ave. #109 in Henderson. Their website is http://kaizen-sushi.com/.