It's easy to be indifferent about tofu. Most of the time, soybean curd is served up as flavorless, flabby white chunks that merely absorb the tastes of other ingredients in a dish. We guilt ourselves into eating it when we're not in the mood for meat because it's light and healthful. But when do we ever crave tofu on its own? Only when we're at Fate, where chef-owner Johnny Chu's brilliant handling of the delicate substance sends us into fits of joy. Chu cuts firm tofu into wedges, fries it up until the outside is golden and crisp, and then serves it with a soy-based dipping sauce. And guess what? The flavor is just as addicting as the texture.
We happily gobble it up plain, as an appetizer, but it's equally delicious in the veggie-laden entrees. We're especially keen on the House Dynamite, Chu's spicy-sweet spin on sweet and sour, and the Cantonese Black Dragon, which comes slathered in the most mouthwatering black bean sauce in town.
We don't care how hardcore a carnivore you are don't write off tofu until you've tasted it at Fate.