mmm…Fried Tofu
Going to Bahn’s on 9th Street makes me feel cool. I know that they serve special food on certain days and not-so-special food every other day of the week. I have a favorite menu item. Best of all, the nice lady behind the counter now recognizes me and knows my ordering preferences. (Wednesday’s Vegetarian plate, extra vegetable side)
For those of you not already in the know like me, Bahn’s is on 9th Street. They normally serve Chinese food that appears to sit under a lamp all day . But something special happens on Wednesday and Saturday, and they add to their menu very good Vietnamese food at very good prices.
The best and most popular dish is the fried tofu with black bean sauce served with sticky rice. It is best eaten fresh, when the tofu is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. I go on Wednesdays as a pre-pint night ritual, when the tofu is accompanied by a vegetable side of broccoli, bean sprouts, and bok choy. The very best part is that they sprinkle crunchy brown onions all over the top. On Saturdays, it comes with a somewhat less spactacular spring roll. Other good things that I have tried are the pork and celery soup, the shrimp with rice noodles, and this weird rice flour bun thing filled with unidentifiable chunks of meat.
Fried Tofu Vegetarian Plate
I am not sure what made Bahn’s decide that Wednesday and Saturday are so special, but they have made Wednesday an auspicious day for me, at least.
The URI to TrackBack this entry is: http://carpedurham.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/mmmfried-tofu/trackback/
I’ve had the ‘Wednesday’ veggie plate on Saturdays too. It’s one of very very very few places I’ll order something veggie and really enjoy it. Yum!
Bahn’s rocks, and the food and counter-service never lets me down. I should go more often, come to think of it. Thanks for reminding me.
been eating at banh’s around twice a week for 8 years now, initially drawn in by the tofu plate but learned
to try any other special they come up with. the phos on saturday are usually excellent (especially the beef), as well as many of the weekday specials, with the thursday pork’n'tofu my current favorite. amazingly kind and generous people too, one of the most cherished durham institutions. and if you see a regular dish NOT on the hot bar then definitely order it, because it will be super fresh.
sc
Updated with picture!
[...] Asanga’s Grill at Ninth Street Bakery Ninth Street Bakery, as the name suggests, used to be on Ninth Street, where Elmo’s is currently located. One of my earliest memories is of walking there with my mom and getting a bear claw, a slashed chocolate croissant laced with frosting. I tried one earlier this week to see if it lived up to my memories, but sadly their baked goods just can’t compete with Guglhupf. However, I found out that on Wednesdays they serve a vegetarian Sri Lankan lunch at their current location in downtown Durham. Although it sounded amazing, I was pretty skeptical about whether it could trump the $5 vegetarian plate at Bahn’s. [...]