Salt-Toasted (Vietnamese)Tofu in DC/NoVa

[ExTex]

Hi all,

As a relocated Houstonian, I've been searching for somewhere in NoVa/DC that serves a close equivalent to the amazing “Salt-Toasted Tofu” served at Mai’s and a few other places in Houston. It’s a pretty well-known dish in Houston, but I confess I’ve never seen it on a menu elsewhere, so it’s possible that it’s a creation of the restaurant or the Houston community rather than any sort of authentic Vietnamese dish (my experience in this area is somewhat limited).

The dish consists of 1" cubes of firm tofu that appear to have been deep fried (in a thin batter and with a sprinkling of coarse salt), served in a thick brown lemon-garlic sauce with onions and roasted garlic cloves. Mai’s lists it as “Dau Hu Rang Muoi – Salt toasted tofu -- Battered and fried tofu, stir-fried with garlic cloves, onions and bell peppers, over lettuce and tomato with lemon sauce.”

I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a life-changing dish (hey, it’s no Grace Garden fish noodles), but it’s pretty wonderful.

I’ve been methodically working my way through the places named in the various Pho posts, but with no luck. Anyone have a lead for me?

Thanks!

[baltoellen]

This is one of those it's been a while since I've been there posts, but unless/until someone chimes in with an accurate answer, check out the tofu shop at Eden Center. It would actually be interesting to learn if this was a Houston creation....

[Steve]

Dau Hu Rang Muoi I think is fairly common, also known as Salt and Pepper Tofu among other names. At Viet Bistro in Eden Center, they have a dish that is Dau hu Rang Muoi Chay - with bell peppers. All you are missing then is the lemon sauce! I think the sauce (at least on this dish) may be what is unique to Houston. However, most Vietnamese restaurants do make a lemon-pepper sauce as a major component to some of their dishes or for dipping on the side, so all you would need to do is order it with that sauce added.

[ExTex]

Thanks. That's useful info, and I'll give the Eden Center places a shot.

You may be correct about the sauce being the regional innovation: it's not the thin lemon-pepper dipping sauce you usually come across, but a thick, clingy brown garlic sauce. The tofu comes plated in the brown sauce, with the thin lemon-pepper dipping sauce on the side.