The Marrow Spoon

Can purely vegetarian food be good? I mean, not good, like "I will eat it if it is good for me," or "I'll eat this now to feel less bad about having In and Out Burger later..." but good as in, "I will drop what I am doing and drive across town, occasionally running a red light to get there by 9pm for take out, even though I already had dinner."

Yes, it can be. Fortunately, I don't have any traffic tickets to prove it, (yet,) but Tofoo Com Chay is that good. It is the epitome of a hole in the wall, barely a restaurant at all with four tiny two person tables and a stove, but the proprietors are warm and friendly, and did I mention the food is amazing?? Oh, and it is $4. Sure, they have a menu with Vietnamese sandwiches and pho' but you can choose from a wide variety of fake meats and have a two item, plus rice, combo meal for $4 (add a dollar for a winter gourd or calamansi drink if you like). The fake meat selection is out-standing!! Now, I like the Morningstar corn dogs, but otherwise I have to admit I really didn't get the appeal of fake meat. If you're a vegetarian, then don't eat meat. You don't need to have pretend meat. But the faux chicken drumsticks, complete with pseudo bones and skin, are an incredible feat of food engineering. And they taste good! Better than good! Maybe even, (gasp!) better than chicken. Same with the bean curd rolls, which are something like moo shu pork, only better, and completely made of soy, mushrooms and onions.

Try this wonder of modern, er, um, I mean traditional Vietnamese cuisine!

Tofoo Com Chay
388 East Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA 95113

9-9 on Monday through Friday
10-6 on Saturday
Closed Sundays