Tofu Vegan Islington
Islington, London
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There’s fierce competition for a table at this vegan outpost from the feted Xi’an Impression stable. Where the mothership is perfunctory in everything but the food, this space has been dressed up to fit in on Islington’s well-heeled Upper Street. Yucca plants and banquette seating might provide a veneer (and attract a social media-savvy clientele) but most people are here for the hot and fragrant flavours which make the plant-based nature of the menu a secondary consideration. ‘Fish-fragrant’ aubergine is served in silky finger lengths that have a weighty, meaty density, while freshly made tofu (the star of the show), appears in myriad dishes from Szechuan, northeastern Dongbei and the Cantonese south. If not mapo tofu, then how about bouncy cubes fresh out the fryer in a lacy batter, liberally scattered with the fruity heat of dried chilli? Faux meat substitutes are less thrilling compared to sizzling king oyster mushrooms in black pepper sauce or plump wontons in an addictively good house-special sauce. Once you’ve scored a table, service becomes friendly and efficient through the buzz and bustle. To drink, there's a handful of beers and a choice of serviceable wines from £19.50.
