Mini oyster festival at BCD Tofu, a sweet ending at Simply Vietnamese

A combo of Oyster Deluxe Rice (topped with Ginko Nuts and Seaweed) and Tofu Soup, above and below, was the Chef's Special on Saturday afternoon at BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee, a Korean restaurant that boasts a bigger menu than its North Jersey rivals.

I asked for my tofu soup with only seafood, including oysters, instead of the beef-seafood combination that comes with the Oyster Rice.

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

Organic tofu, free side dishes that include a scrumptious fried fish and a varied menu are just three reasons BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee stands out among its Korean comfort-food competitors.

You pay a couple of dollars more for a complete meal of organic soft-tofu soup, fresh egg, complimentary side dishes and rice, but you get more ($11.99 at lunch). 

On Saturday, this oyster lover was drawn immediately to a Chef's Special -- a lunch combo of Oyster Deluxe Rice with Tofu Soup, plus seven side dishes, a belly busting meal I couldn't finish ($16.99 plus $1 for an all-seafood tofu soup).

My ravenous son also ordered too much:

The LA Gochujang Pork Combo -- marinated pork belly cooked in the kitchen with a spicy red-pepper paste, and Tofu Soup, but he asked for the standard size of soft-tofu soup and was charged a la carte ($20.99 plus $11.99) instead of the combo price of $18.99.

We took home leftovers, including a couple of wedges of the terrific Haemul Pajun or Seafood Pancake, which is made with squid, small shrimp and scallions ($9.99).

Seven side dishes, including crunchy broccoli, seaweed, cabbage kimchi and shredded radish, come with every meal.

The fried, batter-dipped yellow croaker is so popular extras cost $1 each, unlike the other side dishes, which are replenished for free.

In addition to side dishes, you get a fresh egg to crack into the bubbling broth of the soft-tofu soup.

Spicy LA Gochujang Pork.

BCD Tofu's rice-flour Seafood Pancake is one of the best I've ever had.

One of the bonuses of the Oyster Rice prepared in a hot stone bowl is a crunchy crust.

We encountered a short line on Saturday a little after noon. No reservations are taken. Parents can monitor the children's playroom from flat-screen TVs in the dining room.

BCD Tofu House is part of a Korean chain with restaurants in Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey. In Fort Lee, the restaurant is at 1640 Schlosser St., in the shopping center that once had a Barnes & Noble bookstore and cafe; 1-201-944-2340. Open 7 days, large parking lot, playroom for children.

As a loyal customer of Simply Vietnamese in Tenafly, I received a complimentary Vietnamese Coffee at the end of our meal last Tuesday. Strong black coffee drips into a glass with sweet condensed milk.

Simply Vietnamese

At Simply Vietnamese, my wife can't resist a bowl of Pho with Pork ($12), made with an anise-flavored broth that sets its apart from all other Asian noodle soups.

As for me, my weight has been creeping up lately, so I was trying to avoid all the carbs in the rice noodles.

I ate modestly -- an appetizer of Broiled New Zealand Mussels ($9.50), a side of Bok Choy sauteed in garlic sauce ($6.50) and a small bowl of brown rice ($2).

You get 10 green-lipped mussels with a wasabi-ginger sauce.

A side of Bok Choy comes with fresh cilantro.

I ate my brown rice and bok choy wth a spoon.

More fresh cilantro floats atop the beef broth in Pho with Pork, and it's also part of the garnish that comes on the side (with bean sprouts, fresh lime and sliced jalapeno pepper), below.

The addictive shrimp chips and chili sauce are complimentary.

Simply Vietnamese, 1 Highwood Ave., Tenafly, is a BYO; 1-201-568-7770. Open 7 days, free street parking.

We play one little fishie, two little fishies at BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee

At BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee, my wife and me received complimentary side dishes and two battered and fried yellow croakers after we placed our order for beef and seafood soft-tofu soups.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Fans of soft-tofu soup with steamed rice and side dishes -- one of the most comforting Korean meals -- have no shortage of choices in Fort Lee and Palisades Park.

But BCD Tofu House stands out by offering organic tofu and a beautifully fried yellow croaker as one of the complimentary sides.

On Saturday night, we ordered soft-tofu soups and asked for two extra yellow croakers ($1 each).

A few minutes later, a server returned, placing six complimentary side dishes and two croakers between us.

Our last visit to BCD Tofu House was in May 2015, so we wondered whether these were the extra croakers or the complimentary ones served with our meal?

We asked a second server, and he brought us another croaker, but I still wasn't satisfied.

After we paid the bill, I asked the woman at the register, and she said one croaker is served with each tofu soup, so she gave us a fourth croaker in a takeout container.

Pay more, get more

BCD Tofu House charges $12.99 for a complete organic soft-tofu dinner, compared to $9.99 at So Gong Dong in Palisades Park, our go-to place for many years.

Still, besides organic tofu, you get more side dishes at BCD Tofu House -- cabbage kimchi, pickled cucumber slices, seaweed, green peppers with shredded beef, boiled greens, spicy raw squid and a delectable whole little fish.

You can get seconds of all the side dishes but the fish just be asking.

My wife especially liked BCD's soft tofu or soondubu because it wasn't as salty as the version served at So Gong Dong.

My delicious Seafood Soondubu was brought to the table with a rolling boil that poached fresh eggs provided with the meal. My soup contained oysters, shrimp, small clams and a large mussel. The soft-boiled yolks were wonderful when broken and eaten over steamed white rice. Servers will put hot tea into the second stone bowl to loosen the crunchy rice crust, unless you tell them otherwise.

We finished two plates of the complimentary cabbage kimchi.

Spicy raw squid.

Shredded beef with green peppers.

A flat-screen TV in the front dining room allows parents to keep an eye on their children in a playroom, but the screams of those who misbehave come through loud and clear to other customers.

BCD Tofu House offers 11 versions of soft-tofu soup.

The easy to miss entrance in the Fort Lee Towne Center mall.

Details

BCD Tofu House, 1640 Schlosser St., Fort Lee; 201-944-2340. Serves alcohol, open 7 days, free parking in lot and garage. Go early to avoid lines.

Photo of Seafood Soondubu on Website doesn't match what's served in Fort Lee. Branches are in New York, Los Angeles area, Seoul and Tokyo.

At BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee, fewer customers means less service

When you order organic soft-tofu stew or another entree at BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee, free side dishes include terrific kimchi, center, and a small battered and fried yellow croaker. Want another fish? That's $1 extra, but the other side dishes or panchan are replaced for free.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I've eaten at the popular BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee when it was packed and we had to wait for a table, and when it wasn't and we were seated immediately.

Strangely, we got better service at lunch time in January, when we had to wait, then on Tuesday afternoon, when many of the tables in the popular Korean restaurant were empty.

We were seated immediately at a table near the doors to the kitchen.

We placed our order for Pork Soondubu or soft-tofu stew and Oyster Soondubu ($12.99 each), as well as a small order of Steamed Dumplings ($6.99).

I asked for brown rice instead of the traditional white rice.

That's where the problems began.

I got my brown rice, but the male server forgot to bring my son his white rice, and we had to remind him. 

Later, when I asked for another brown rice, the server went into the kitchen, but I never got the second portion.

Usually, at a Korean restaurant, the complimentary side dishes will be replaced as soon as you finish them. 

This time, our male server asked us which seconds we wanted, instead of replacing all of the empty dishes.

Organic and non-GMO

These minor service glitches didn't distract us from the high quality of the delicious Korean soft-tofu stew, which is made with 100% organic tofu.

Of course, organic tofu is your guarantee the soy beans that went into it weren't genetically modified.

We asked for our stews to be made "spicy." You can also specify "danger."

A fresh egg is provided to crack into the bubbling broth of your soft-tofu stew.

If you ask, BCD Tofu House will serve you brown rice instead of white. Both come in a metal bowl with a cover.

Shredded radish in a sweet dressing, left; spicy raw squid, top; and seaweed are among the side dishes that came with our meal.

Details

BCD Tofu House, 1640 Schlosser St. (take driveway into shopping center), Fort Lee; 201-944-2340.

Open 7 days 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Alcohol available. Free parking. No reservations taken.

At BCD in Fort Lee, the soft tofu in that spicy soup is 100% organic

A large green-lipped mussel emerging from the Seafood Tofu Soup at the popular BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee.

A beautifully battered and fried yellow croaker is the standout among the complimentary side dishes served at BCD Tofu House, an international chain based in South Korea. The others are excellent cabbage kimchi, spicy raw squid and iced sour pickle slices any Jewish deli would be proud of.

Editor's note: Calling all garlic lovers. On Friday, we stopped at BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee for a belly busting lunch, and on Saturday, we had dinner at Wondee's in Hackensack, our favorite Thai restaurant, where we tried to ignore the tattered carpet.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I absolutely love the food and service at BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee, but could do without the crowds and the wait for a table.

Having said that, I always look for an excuse to eat there, as I did on Friday afternoon, when I was returning from taking photos of an Edgewater apartment building that was destroyed by fire.

My visits have been infrequent since the restaurant was recommended to me in 2012, but this time, I immediately noticed the place-mat menu declaring only 100% organic tofu is used in the signature soup.

The menu also notes prices have stayed the same now that House Foods-brand organic tofu has been added.

Tofu is made from soybeans, one of the major crops that are being genetically modified. 

Organic tofu is GMO free as are some non-organic tofus that carry a seal from the Non GMO Project, including the House Foods Firm Tofu sold at Costco Wholesale.

On Friday afternoon, the restaurant was packed when we arrived around 1:30, but we got a table in about 5 minutes.

I ordered Seafood Tofu Soup, my wife had Pork Tofu Soup, both prepared "Hot," and we shared a Seafood Pancake.

BCD prices

BCD's Tofu Soup or Soondubu Jjigae is $10.99 at lunch (10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and $12.99 at dinner, including six side dishes, steamed white or brown rice and a fresh egg to crack open and poach in the bubbling broth.

That's a dollar or two more than So Gong Dong in Palisades Park, our usual go-to place, but BCD serves more free side dishes and the quality of seafood used in the soup is superior.

One of those free side dishes is a beautifully fried small fish, a yellow croaker, that is so good I ate the whole thing, including the head.

So Gong Dong has nothing like it.

The range of spiciness available at BCD are Plain, Mild, Regular, Hot and Danger. Tofu Soup is one of the world's great comfort foods.

BCD, an international chain based in South Korea, also has a more extensive menu of such traditional favorites as stone-bowl bibimbap, spicy raw crab, pork belly and cold noodles called naegmyun.

The complete Tofu Soup meal served at BCD Tofu House is the best in North Jersey. Now, if they only took reservations.

 

Two of the complimentary side dishes at BCD Tofu House are slices of fried tofu, front, and marinated green beans and mushrooms. The Haemul Pajeon or Korean Seafood Pancake, below, serves four, and we took home leftovers ($8.99).

Seafood Soondubu is $10.99 at lunch.

BCD Tofu House has a playroom for children that parents can monitor from the dining room. 

A takeout order of Pork Soondubu included a fried yellow croaker, above, and Chinese broccoli and bean sprouts, photos below.

Inspired by our delicious lunch at BCD Tofu House, I made Tofu Soup at home on Saturday, using ground red pepper, roasted black sesame seeds, Pulmone-brand Tofu Broth Seasoning and, from Costco, organic chicken stock, firm tofu, and skinless and boneless hake fillets.

BCD Tofu House, 1640 Schlosser St., Fort Lee, hidden away in Fort Lee Towne Center, a small shopping center with a Korean bakery, gym and other businesses; 201-944-2340.

Web site: A dish loved the world over

Ocean of Garlic at Wondee's in Hackensack combines deep-fried shrimp, squid, small scallops and mussels sauteed with black pepper and minced fresh garlic and served with pickled cabbage and other vegetables ($18).

At Wondee's, focus on food

I've always judged restaurants by food and then service, because you can't eat the wallpaper.

At Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles, the food and service are still great nearly 18 years after Chef Wandee Suwangbutra opened on Main Street in Hackensack.

I have to just keep on reminding myself I can't eat the carpet at my favorite Thai restaurant.

The restaurant's floor is raised in the back so you have to step up, if you enter through the door off of the rear parking lot.

Then, the floor slopes in places and is flat in the front, but the carpet throughout is worn, faded and crudely patched with tape.

The chairs also have seen better days. The interior is a liability lawsuit waiting to happen.

Two favorites

Wandee is at the top of her game, especially when preparing two of my favorites, Ocean of Garlic and the classic Green Papaya Salad.

The seafood in the Ocean of Garlic is deep-fried, but not greasy, and tender, and I love the contrast with the crunchy pickled vegetables.

The Green Papaya Salad is served over a large romaine lettuce leaf so you can tear some off, wrap up the crunchy strands and pop them into your mouth. 

Now, if only Wandee's landlord could invest in a new carpet for the restaurant, loyal customers like me can focus completely on the wonderful Thai food.

Thai Fried Rice is made with shrimp, pork, egg, scallions and bell pepper ($10.50)

Som Thum or fresh Green Papaya Salad packs plenty of crunch and plenty of heat from chili peppers ($8).

Geuw Nam or Wonton Soup with roast pork and vegetables ($3.50 for small).

Coconut Juice with pulp ($3).

Wondee's is a BYO.

Wondee's Fine Thai Food and Noodles, 296 Main St., Hackensack; 201-883-1700. BYO, parking in rear, no delivery. Closed Mondays.

Survive winter by taking comfort in hearty meals

On a chilly, rainy Friday, large bowls of takeout pork tofu soup warmed up the meat eaters in my family, but I was perfectly happy with the seafood version ($12.99 each with five side dishes).

Our takeout order from BCD Tofu House in Fort Lee included grilled galbi ($19.99), above, and five small, beautifully fried fish that were among the free side dishes, below.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The sun is shining on northern New Jersey today, but Friday was a complete washout and the forecast is for more snow next week.

We are winter weary here on the East Coast, having weathered six or seven storms with significant snowfall so far.

In between all the shoveling I've been doing, comfort food has been my port in the storm. 

The Haemul Pajun from BCD Tofu House was filled with seafood and scallions ($9.99 for small), but it was greasier and not as fluffy as other Korean pancakes I've tried, notably at Gammeeok in Fort Lee. Better were BCD's steamed pork dumplings ($6.99 for small).

When in Fort Lee

On Friday, I spent six hours at a surgery center in Fort Lee, where a family member was being treated for a broken leg, and on the way home in the car, we stopped at BCD Tofu House, 1640 Schlosser St., to pick up a warming dinner. 

I had called ahead, ran in and paid, then back out into the wind-whipped rain with nearly 20 containers in three large paper-in-plastic bags.

BCD Tofu House is one of the best Korean restaurants in North Jersey, but it is more expensive than Palisade Park's So Gong Dong, which my teenage son calls the "World's Best Tofu Restaurant."

Still, when he tasted the BCD pork tofu soup I emptied into a large bowl at home, he loved it, along with the barbecued galbi and steamed pork dumplings.

I ordered seafood tofu soup "very spicy" and found that all that red pepper burned my tongue, making it uncomfortable to eat. My son finished it later.

But I was very happy with the small fried fish, wonderful kimchi and other side dishes, and brown rice, which So Gong Dong doesn't serve.

When we go to a Korean restaurant for tofu soup, we are served a fresh egg to cook in the bubbling broth, but we didn't find any eggs in our soup from BCD Tofu House.

Crunchy broccoli is one of the free side dishes.

Sweet-and-spicy radish is a delightful side.

The cabbage kimchi from BCD Tofu House is among the best I've had.

A Jewish deli would be proud to serve these pickles.

Hearty home cooking

On Thursday night, I quickly whipped up 1 pound of organic whole-wheat pasta shells with bottled sauce, fresh garlic, and canned anchovies and sardines.

The shells are like catcher's mitts, holding the sauce and other ingredients.

The meal was complete with a glass of wine and a salad of Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix, adding in diced apple, blueberries, cinnamon-dusted almonds and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, all dressed in extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

The made-in-Italy pasta came from Whole Foods Market in Paramus, and the rest of the ingredients were from Costco Wholesale in Hackensack and Fattal's in Paterson. 

I have been boiling and mashing sweet potatoes with Kabocha Squash, whole peeled cloves of garlic and extra-virgin olive oil as a bread substitute. Here, I served leftovers with an egg-white, sun-dried tomato and cheese omelet.

Two organic brown eggs sprinkled with shredded Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (both from Costco Wholesale) make a great topping for bibimbap, a Korean dish I made at home with organic brown rice and seasoned vegetables from H Mart in Little Ferry.

Imported organic organic whole wheat shells from Whole Foods Market in Paramus are a bargain at $1.39 a pound. They are wonderful in bottled pasta sauce with added anchovies, sardines and chopped fresh garlic.

For a hearty breakfast, top the shells with a fried organic brown egg.