NORMAL HEIGHTS.  Dao Fu (formerly known as Tao) provides excellent vegan Vietnamese and Japanese food.  The restaurant recently changed its name, but the owners, ambiance, and menu remain the same.

The restaurant is best known for its homemade tofu.  In a word – delicious.  Not only is it made from non-GMO soybeans, it has more flavor and the best texture of any tofu that I have ever tried.  Ever.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the debate regarding GMO foods, this is an article that provides both sides of the debate:

http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

Did I mention that a complimentary salad with tofu is given to every table?  You get greens, beets, and tofu, topped with a tangy dressing.  A healthy and tasty way to start the meal.

Usually I think of soup as an appetizer.  Dao Fu, however, changed my mind with its arsenal of substantial, satisfying soups.  I most recently tried the Vegetarian Sukiyaki, which is served with noodles, tofu, Shitake mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, snow peas, and scallion.  The broth of the soup is flavorful, the vegetables fresh, and the mushrooms rich.  I would be happy eating this soup every day.

My lunch partner decided on the Eggplant Tofu (and when I say he decided on the Eggplant Tofu, I mean he orders it every single time we go to Dao Fu!).  The Eggplant Tofu is appropriately named, as it is served with eggplant, tofu, and snow peas covered in a light garlic sauce.  Customers are given the choice of a side of white rice, brown rice, or half white rice and half brown rice.  Dao Fu also lets you pick the spice level of your dish from 0 (no spice) to 10 (hot).  Beware, Dao Fu is not afraid to use spice! Talk to your server about choosing the appropriate spice level.

It’s worth taking a moment after this dish arrives to appreciate the artful arrangement of the food.  Eggplant and snow peas radiate out from the tofu and rice center.  The eggplant is soft, while the snow peas add a nice crunch to the dish.  The addition of a generous serving of homemade tofu makes this one entrée that shouldn’t be missed.

The interior of Dao Fu is elegant and quirky at the same time.  The tables are set with formal linen table clothes, traditional water glasses, and flower centerpieces.  But the walls of the restaurant are a covered in messages customers have written over the years, and a large spoon and fork hang on the back wall.  Most importantly, the servers always engage in pleasant conversation and are ready to answer questions about the menu.

3332 Adams Ave

San Diego, CA 92116

619.281.6888

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NORMAL HEIGHTS.  Jyoti-Bihanga is a vegetarian restaurant, tucked into a quiet section of Normal Heights, and offers an array of vegan options:

• Hummos Dip Appetizer
• Dinner Salad (there are 2 home made vegan salad dressing options:  sesame herb and lemon tahini)
• Vegan Neatloaf
• Neatloaf Sandwich,
• Peace, Light, and Bliss Burger
• BBQ Mock Duck Sandwich
• Thai Stir Fry
• Blue Plate Special
• Grilled Portobello Wrap
• Hummos Wrap
• Apple Pie
• Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake

Jyoti-Bihanga is best known for its Neatloaf, which has consistently outsold all other menu items since the restaurant’s opening in 1986.  The Neatloaf is a mixture of brown rice, grains, tofu, and spices that are blended together, baked, and topped with a tomato based sauce.  Mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, and toast cover the remainder of the plate.  I have ordered the vegan Neatloaf many times, and it never disappoints.  It is true vegan comfort food.

The Portobello Mushroom Wrap is another flavorful entrée.  This vegan wrap consists of marinated slices of mushroom, grilled red peppers, fresh spinach, and a tofu-tamari sauce wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.  Jyoti-Bihanga excels with marinades and sauces that spike flavor, and this wrap is no exception.  I also love the complementary side salad.  Instead of wilted iceberg lettuce and a few sad cherry tomatoes, Jyoti-Bihanga presents crisp romaine lettuce, sprouts, beets, and carrots with vibrant, almost distracting, colors.

I have to admit that when I first became interested in vegan food, I only had eyes for the desserts.  I love desserts.  Especially those crafted without sticks of butter, shortening, or mystery goop that send my blood sugar on a roller coaster ride.  So thank you, Jyoti-Bihanga, for your vegan Apple Pie. Granny Smith apples lightly sweetened with brown sugar and baked in a whole wheat crust.  Simple.  And perfect.  The result is a tantalizing twist on the quintessential American dessert.

Excellent food aside, I love Jyoti-Bihanga for its peaceful atmosphere.  The walls are a soft blue, and the servers always exude calm and kindness.  Perhaps this peace is a function of Sri Chinmoy, a spiritual master, whose students own and operate the restaurant.  A large picture of Sri Chinmoy looks down on the patrons, and there is an alcove with some of his books.  Although Jyoti-Bihanga is dedicated to a certain ideology, there is no pressure put on customers to do anything besides enjoy their meal.

Jyoti-Bihanga also serves a breakfast buffet on selected Sundays from 9am to 1pm.  The schedule is not posted online, but the restaurant can be reached at (619) 282-4116.

3351 Adams Ave

San Diego, CA 92116

619.282.4116

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