Uncle Phan’s Fresh Tofu

Despite what the name might indicate, most of the dishes at Fresh Tofu on North Lamar do not, in fact, contain any tofu. Instead, you can expect to find a small menu of mostly Northern Vietnamese specialties like bún riêu, and bánh cuốn, the latter of which is our favorite thing to get here. Each order consists of a few long sheets of rice noodles that have been tightly rolled around a layer of minced pork and steamed until cooked through. Then they’re served with a bowl of fish sauce for dipping, and a pile of bean sprouts, cucumbers, and herbs to add a bit of freshness to it all. There’s also a handful of ready-to-eat dishes you can grab for later, including dumplings, steamed cakes, and silken tofu.

photo credit: Nicolai McCrary