Lovely lunch with calm curry dish!
Went to Dao Fu for lunch with a friend. Had not been here in a couple of years. She wanted curry but not hot. They delivered a gorgeous dish that she loved and devoured. Chicken vegetable curry dish. I had tofu and veggies and it was presented so stunningly and not a bite was left on my plate. Place is still as good as I remember!!
Been here a few times and all the dishes we've tried have been full of flavour and presented quite well. Almost like a piece of art on your plate. The dishes are very unique. Vegetarian friendly and the owners and waitstaff are very helpful in picking out dishes you would enjoy. Just be warned, even though they ask for your preference of spice level between 1-10 (I usually am a 7-8 at other places), a 4 or 5 is plenty spicy for me here.
Possibly best meal I've ever had! Had the miso soup, made with excellent homemade tofu! Had the lemon grass shrimp and tasted the mango chicken and Thai basil with oyster mushrooms, all fantastic! Excellent service, complimentary home made ice cream. Chef came out after to see how our meal was, a high class touch! Also can choose your desired spiciness of all dishes !! If in San Diego go here!!!!!
Outstanding fresh tofu. Have been here several times and we have loved everything we have ordered. Their 1-10 spiciness scale is real--an 8 is actually an 8!! (Not a 5 like so many other places.)
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We loved this place!. Using UrbanSpoon, I saw all the positive reviews that this place received and thought it was worth a try.
I am SO glad we stopped in. This place is a real find. It is a small, intimate place and I am sure it can fill up, so don't be surprised if you arrive on a weekend night and you can't immediately find a seat. However, all good things come to those who wait - it will be worth it.
The menu is varied, and isn't really just Japanese food, but a fusion of all kinds of cuisines, including Vietnamese and Thai inspired dishes. This is a place you will want try to something new every time you visit.
I love the tofu, and I recommend the fried spring rolls with Tofu and plum sauce. Awesome!
I have been back to this place more than once now, and haven't tried a bad dish yet. The staff really knows their stuff and make great recommendations. Great food, inspired and well-presented. And, even better, this place is fairly inexpensive. What else can you ask for? Personally, I can't ask for anything more. Even the complimentary ice cream is a terrific treat.
AWESOME. This place is killer-
Great food.
Amazing prices.
Homemade tofu.
Good wine list but could be better.
Cute and very nice waitresses.
One of the best restaurants in San Diego- no matter the price point.
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This place is INCREDIBLE!!! This little gem of a resturant was recommended by a friend and I am so happy I decided to go. We ordered the spring rolls to start (you get two), one with shrimp and the other with chicken. They are sliced in thirds and served with a delicious sauce. They were very large for an appetizer. We were then surprised by a complimentary salad that was made from exotic greens and served with a flavorful plum dressing and chunks of tofu. We then had the house chicken curry and the garlic chicken. You have a choice of brown or jasmine rice and we did half and half with each dish. We both agreed that while both were good, the brown was much better. We were once again surprised with a complimentary ice cream. You are given a choice of vanilla, green tea or strawberry cheesecake. We both chose the latter and were both glad we did. It is a small scoop and is served with two small slices of mango and half a strawberry and was lightly drizzled with an amazing mango sauce. I was so impressed with Tao that I took my boyfriend back there just two days later. We bypassed the appetizer and shared the salad and a meal of the mango chicken. The chicken was fantastic! We both enjoyed it enormously. Needless to say, we both had the strawberry cheesecake ice cream again and were not disappointed. The first meal cost us $26 before tip but better than that, the second meal that we split was just $10.01 before tip! An incredible meal at a great price. What more could you ask for. I will recommend Tao to everyone.
Worth the Wait. We had a bit of a wait for our food tonight, but definitely worth it! I really enjoyed the complimentary salad (the homemade tofu was INCREDIBLE!) and the ice cream at the end to cool the fire from my mouth. Warning: a "5" here is pretty spicy. I have enough left over for two meals!! I'll be visiting again for sure.
Scrumptiously delectable!!!. First time and OMG!!! OMG this is my newest "favorite place" to eat. Prices are very reasonable. Portions are way big (enough leftover for lunch tomorrow). Presentation was absolutely stunning. Each plate that came out, I wanted to order when I finally settled for the house Chicken curry. OMG -- it was so delicious I called my family and said we are all going next Saturday. Thank you for coming to Normal Heights. You will love it!
This restaurant came highly recommended from a friend who only eats gluten-free and vegan food.
This is a family owned restaurant and referred as a mom and pop shop. All their food is made in house and with fresh ingredients. They have freebies for starters and dessert. That was a surprise to me and ever so grateful 🙏 for enjoying it with gratitude.
I couldn't decide between a dish or soup. I decided on a dish and did not regret. Their dumplings and spring rolls was absolutely finger licking good. 😋
They're quick and service is service. They get pretty busy and stay busy. Parking is hard to find so be prepared to walk to the restaurant.
We will definitely return the next time we are in San Diego. Thank you for the pleasant experience. Great tasting food for sure.
Happy eating 😋
The tofu is silky smooth - amazing quality! Their soy milk was also super fresh with the perfect amount of sweetness. We got their mango chicken - which was good. But my star dish was the fish - cooked to perfection. Definitely come here and try this place out! It's one of a kind!
DAO fu is a hidden gem that combines delicious ramen, great prices, and a delightful sense of humor.
The flavorful broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and tender meat create a culinary masterpiece. The affordable prices make it even more enjoyable. The waiter's fantastic sense of humor adds an extra touch of fun to the dining experience.
To top it all off, they offer complimentary ice cream that sweetens the deal. DAO fu is a must-visit for ramen lovers seeking a delightful and affordable meal with a side of laughter.
This restaurant is certainly a hidden gem and a lot easy on your pocket. The urban doodle-ly decor is really something.
We ordered a Katuse Ramen, Wanton Soup Bowl and Tantanmen Soup Bowl - and I must say we all were impressed. The host suggested us Yuki Nigori Sake and I promise you that combination really blew our mind.
As for the food we loved veggie tempura so much that we ordered another plate for the table. Unlike other restaurants the tempura batter was mixed with subtle spices and it added flavor to the tempura. Katsue Ramen was off the charts - the perfect dashi, great noodles and perfectly crisp chicken. The crispness gave away the perfect support to rich broth.
Do keep some space for the complimentary ice-cream, you will thank me later.
I could only eat this food for the rest of my life and die happy. One of my favorite restaurants on Adams avenue, by far. They have an entire vegan menu which is usually what my partner and I order off of. We've never gotten anything from Dao fu that we didn't like. I highly HIGHLY recommend the vegan orange chicken. I randomly crave it constantly because it's just so good. They also make their own tofu and it's heavenly, they will provide you with a complimentary appetizer of it as well as complimentary ice cream at the end. Dare I say more? Free tofu, free ice cream, the most delectable food you've ever tasted and friendly staff. That's all you need to know.
Everythig was delicious!! We tried the fried noodles and ramen, both were great. The service was excelente too and the server was nice.
Ate here for the first time. Tantanmen did not have the expected sesame sauce but it was like a fine ramen with a very edible soup, far from being salt/msg ridden stock you get from many Asian restaurants. 5 Spice Noodles was very aromatic. Mi Xao Tofu had thick noodles with a delicious sauce. We left the place happy, and with leftovers. Service was great. You might have to look for parking a bit if you drive here. I would say this is a very good vegetarian-friendly restaurant.
Free salad and ice cream (both flavors) very tasty. Also our group really liked the Vietnamese crepe appetizer. Rest of our food was good but nothing to write home about. Had katsu ramen (broth tasty, noodles a tad overcooked), sukiyaki (lacking flavor), katsu curry (breading could be spiced more, but impressed by how crispy it stayed) and pad Thai (thought curry was one dimensional). Spice levels of 6/10 & 7/10 had some heat but not super hot. Service was good and relatively fast.
I rediscovered this Dao Fu last month and had such an amazing meal that I brought two friends back tonight. Last time I was there for lunch and splurged on two recommended dishes, the grilled salmon rice pot and mi-xao tofu. The rice had excellent flavour and salmon was cooked to perfection, but the noodles in the tofu dish had me dreaming of them for weeks. With the unexpected complimentary tofu appetizer and ice cream dessert, the leftovers fed me for two days! I noticed, too, that almost everyone who came in after me greeted the owner by name, and he in turn even knew some had a favourite table. Tonight my friends ordered the garlic chicken wings and sizzling mushroom with basil and black bean sauce, which were both delicious, and I got to have my noodles again. Only the pho was not a big hit though I did not try it myself. I recall loving the lily flower with asparagus and oyster mushrooms in the past and will go back for it next time!
I have been coming here for years and the food has only gotten better. I could make a longer review and explain to you how good it is. Instead I will just say this, go in point at something and enjoy!
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Came here for friday night out with the boyfriend, had speedy sit down it was around 8 ish , small space but they seat very well to keep space open. Immediately greeted with a tofu salad (complimentary) not sure if that is there thing always. Fresh water and your own table side infused water jug. Had the beef fried spring rolls that came along with plentiful lettuce and cilantro. AND watch out folks the dishes here are very generous! Big servings. Chicken pad thai had the level 3 kn spicy. Not spicy at all so if you like spicy try a 5 or a 4 because absolutely nothing spicy about the level 3 if that is your thing. My partner had garlic chicken with a half white half fried rice portion delicious better than the pad thai also his was a level 4 and nothing spicy at all about it I believe. But great presentation and taste! Only reason I didnt give it a full 5 stars is because the bathrooms were a huge NoNo No. Very dirty and no soap only a hand sanitizer which makes me worried about hygiene for staff and anyone in general, but that's just me and my personal hygiene mentally. Other than that decent spot for a nice sit down asian lunch dinner
Great little Normal Heights gem. The mock chicken is amazing, for you vegetarians out there. Even if you're not vegetarian, you'll love the homemade tofu, which comes complimentary with your meal.
Called in an order on a Saturday around 7pm and only had to wait 10 mins. The salmon rice pot was amazing, perfect amount of spice (they ask how spicy you want from 1-10), reasonable prices, and service was friendly. Would definitely come back if in the area again!
Pros - Very nice vietnamese cuisine resturant.
Food is delicious and fantastic. The food is combination between fruit and veggie. They served free dessert with green tree ice-cream with cantaloup and orange added sweet source.
The price is reasonable.
Cons - It located in the city so car parking is very hard to find.
Probably the best food for the money in the neighborhood. I've been dining here for over a decade. I'm not a vegetarian. The food has always been great. The owner Eric the Hot Chef still runs the kitchen and the quality shows. Try anything with the house tofu. Try the classics: stuffed tofu eggplant and peppers; the chicken (or "chicken") rice pot; pineapple curry. Or try the new dishes like the Japanese curry. The free salad to start and ice cream to finish always make the experience feel complete and satisfying. I've brought dozens of people here for lunch and dinner over the years (both vegetarians and non-vegetarians) and all have loved it.
Hands down my favorite noodle spot in San Diego, I want to gatekeep it so it can stay my little secret. 😂 But the staff and the food is great and they deserve all the business. Definitely the local spot I bring visitors and order the tofu pad Thai all the time. Super low prices on food & drinks, and they always bring you a complimentary tofu salad to start and scoop of ice cream to finish. The worst thing about this place is the parking, and that's just because it's in a popular area, not the restaurants fault!
Dao Fu has really good food and service. I enjoyed the complimentary tofu salad to start. The dishes can be made on the spice level 1-10 and I hear that 10 is pretty hot so I stick to 6 or 7. Definitely try the drunken noodle pr the katsu chicken. The prices are also very reasonable and there are many vegetarian options.
My wife and daughter have been trying to drag me here since it opened. Though I'm a vegetarian I'm not a fan of tofu. It turns out that I should have listened to them, the food was delicious, including the tofu, and the setting was intimate and comfortable. I will be a regular.
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