Tokyo has a plethora of pancake joints and eateries offering healthy plates, but if you want to combine those two options to please your palate, it's worth stopping in at Aloha Table.
Aloha Table actually has several branches around Tokyo, the most notable ones being in Daikanyama, Osaki, Shibuya and Akasaka. My favorite of the branches is in Hiro-o, just steps from the Hiro-o metro (Exit 2) and on the second floor of a building just above McDonalds.
This particular eatery is billed as Aloha Table Natural and the menu reflects a dedication to offering customers fresh and healthy options, many laden with veggies. On a recent visit, it was hard to choose among the appetizers, with such tasty-sounding options as pork and pineapple summer rolls (not fried), garlicky soft shell shrimp, the couscous with fresh tomatoes and herbs or the organic macaroni and cheese. For main dishes, I can attest to the deliciousness of the ahi poke, a traditional Hawaiian dish of yellow fin tuna, avocado, and thin-sliced onions drizzled with soy sauce and served over rice. On a subsequent visit, I ordered a shrimp dumpling pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) that had an incredibly rich broth and perfectly chewy noodles. My dining partners had only praise for the grilled chicken and slices of round top beef steak, all served with either couscous or rice and fresh vegetables.
The kids' menus here are a tad above the standard fare on offer at most Japanese restaurants, with fruit and steamed veggies accompanying a variety of choices such as mild curry or sugar-dusted pancakes. Pancakes are available for adults as well, along with acai bowls.
For drinks, diners are spoiled for choice. There is a wide range of organic coffees and teas as well as an entire page of beers and wines (many of them hailing from Hawaii) and the typical fruity cocktails of the tropics. I don't usually spring for a beverage with dinner but the turmeric ginger ale and homemade root beer were absolutely worth their price tag.
Despite offering a number of pancakes on their menu, Aloha Table is not open for breakfast. And if you have a hankering to dine here on a weekend evening, it's worth calling ahead to reserve or table or just check that there are no private events that day. Many of the staff speak fair to excellent English and the menus are all bilingual.
