My Favorite Tofu

My ideal tofu is pillowy and wobbly, with just enough firmness that if you rested the tines of a fork on it, not much would happen, but if you pressed ever so gently, you could cut a forkful that would barely hold together. A Goldilocks texture, I know, and one that’s tricky to find at the supermarket, where the options are usually limited to either extra-firm or silky soft.

But Oakland’s new modern Korean deli, Joodooboo, makes my dream dooboo (the Korean word for tofu) fresh every day. And I’m so glad I can swing by to pick up a container or two, plus some of their dooboo sauce, which is salty from soy, speckled with sesame seeds, and perfumed with the tiniest bit of floral Meyer lemon.

Joodooboo also offers hyper-seasonal banchan. If you’re there for lunch and can’t decide which banchan to try, go for the set of 4 different banchan that comes with a side of rice and dooboo.