The Last Dumpling Standing

We all need that place—that place that brings us together with joy piling up as plates arrive one after the other. The place where we pass dishes while exchanging stories about weeks, hours, or years spent apart; where caring is the last dumpling standing in the middle of the tray because everyone is waiting for the other to make a move. Lunch stretches into dinner, free from the ticking reminders of time; it feels like gathering around the kitchen table at home with a chosen family, at a chosen time. That place that vegans suggest and no one is opposed to because everyone already knows it’s home to one of the most unforgettable steamed vegetable dumplings, sizzling fried tofu in black bean sauce—wish I had a second stomach so I could eat more special fried rice kind of place. If it still doesn’t ring a bell, the place I’m talking about is Tofu Vegan.

Nestled in four locations—Spitalfields, Golders Green, Islington, and now at Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia—Tofu Vegan is on my most-wanted list for a couple of reasons. First, it’s open. Not just seven days a week, but from noon till closing, with hours that vary slightly by location; it’s a non-stop service*. 3 p.m. lunch? Check. 4:30 p.m. dinner? Yes. I just want to arrive around noon, start with dim sum, have a little writing/reading/conversing break, then have some stir-fried lotus root slices. Well, if you can keep the table for so long without hungry customers-to-be, sure.

In no particular order: Gong Bao King O’ster Mushrooms with Cashew Nuts, Sizzling Tofu in Black Bean Sauce, Assorted Dim Sum, Special Fried Noodles (Sichuan Style), and Fried Noodles with Tofu.

Second, let me tell you about the sauces. The simple flavour of stir-fried water spinach, the spicy, garlicky tang of smashed cucumber, the delicate taste of wontons and the zesty kick of house-made silken tofu. If there were a simple soup-like dish made from any of these sauces, I would order one for the table. One for later.

Third: The special fried noodles, Sichuan style. The creator of Zhang Chao, who started Xi’an Impression with Guirong Wei shows the perfection in this “side dish”. It’s al dente. It’s packed with vegetables. It goes perfectly with smacked cucumber spicy garlicky sesame dressing. It’s the kind of dish you want first, in the middle, and even at the end of the day.

Hello Wontons (in-house special sauce).

A must-have: Everyone goes for the mains; I’m more of a ‘give starters a chance’ kind of person. So that would be: Chick’n with celery in a chilli oil dressing.

The favorite: Like I didn’t talk about it enough: The special fried noodles, Sichuan style.

Word of mouth: Head Chef Mr. Kai and his team will be offering a special Christmas Eve tasting menu on 24 December in Islington—a home-away-from-home seven-course meal for £56 per person.

Heads up: You will want to leave some room for the desserts such as sweet potato rolls or pumpkin lantern.

Adress: Spitalfields, Golders Green, Islington, and now at Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia.

* Golders Green is closed between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. Make sure to check the hours for this branch.

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