Asia De Cuba's Crispy Tofu: A Dish Non-Vegetarians Should Love

Photo by John Zur

They might not look spectacular, but those bricks of tofu pack some incredible tastes and textures.

​Of all of the Latin American-Asian fusion dishes on Asia de Cuba's diversely unique menu, why would you order slabs of brown tofu? Because they're damn good and you don't have to be vegetarian to enjoy them.

Dining with a vegetarian - when you are a natural carnivore who seeks out beef, veal, lamb, and anything that had its head cut off - can open you up to an appreciation for how inventive meatless cooking can be.

Such is the case with the marinated crispy tofu at Asia de Cuba, the inventive eatery inside the Mondrian Hotel on South Beach.

At $26, the entree is in the ballpark of a fair price. Four cuts of tofu are fried (we didn't say this was the healthiest dish) and served atop of a drizzle of soy lime chipotle marinade.

The tofu is held together firmly and warm throughout. Peanut soy dressing lines the plate. A side of refreshingly sweet and cold Caribbean julienne vegetables and mango sauce completes the dish.

Go ahead and order that tropical hoisin roasted duck ($36) if you must, however vegetarians can't go wrong with what chef Sean Bernal and his team are cooking.

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