The Tofu Shop

The Tofu Shop is a cheep and cheerful eat in Richmond. The menu is completely vegetarian, and on most visits there are plenty of vegan options.

As a first time Tofu Shop diner, the process may seem a bit confusing; there is no fixed menu, but rather arrayed behind the counter is an ever changing selection of dishes based around the tofu that is made in house. Once you have decided on a size ($10 for a small bowl, $16 for a medium, $22 for a large, or takeaway for $9), you can choose as many dishes as you like, as long as they fit in the bowl. On an average night you can pick from baked tofu and veggies, fresh salads, light tofu simmers, fried sweet chilli tofu (so good!), Japanese soy bean gamo balls, creamy coconut curries, chickpea or bean pots, dhal, noodles, spiced rice or cous cous... The list goes on, but it is all made from fresh and seasonal ingredients, and if you'd like, you can top your meal off with satay or tofu sauce, chilli jam, pickled ginger or a few olives.

Each dish is described on a menu card above the counter. At the bottom of each card there is a number key, which lists any ingredients you may potentially want to avoid, including dairy, gluten, nuts and eggs, making it pretty easy to put together a meal to suit your diet. The staff are also really helpful, and if you mention any dietary requirements, they are more than happy to guide you through the menu.

They also offer Soyvlakis, a wrap with a soy falafel and lots of salads and dips, spring rolls, curry puffs and rice balls.

I was initially a bit apprehensive about trying the sweets at the tofu shop... Pineapple and coconut tofu slice?! But I sure am glad I gave them a go. They are nice and sweet, and tofu gives the slices a fluffy, almost cheesecake-ish texture. They are sweetened by only the fruit featured in the slice, so as far as deserts go (in my books at least), they're not all that bad for you. Each week there are three or four flavours to choose from. I have tried a few that I'm not too keen on (Apricot & Cardamon), but I think if you go for a fruit that you like then you can't really go wrong.

Date & Coconut slice with vanilla soy ice cream

My favourite part of a meal at the Tofu Shop is the soft serve soy ice cream. There is a new flavour on offer each week, from the classic vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate flavours, to the summery pina colada, passionfruit, and coconut, and the more interesting pandan and coconut, Japanese green tea, and raspberry rosewater. The coconut flavours do contain casein, so if you're avoiding dairy you'll have to give those flavours a miss.

The food at the Tofu shop is consistently delicious, and I always leave feeling very satisfied. While it's certainly not fine dining, it's the perfect place for a quick, wholesome and delicious vegetarian meal.

The Tofu Shop International
78 Bridge Rd, Richmond.
The Tofu Shop