Mmmm Tofu

Dallas gets steamy with tofu soup restaurant from California

Tofu and spicy soups are the thing.

Photo courtesy of BCD Tofu House

A Los Angeles-based tofu-centric restaurant is coming to Texas, and the first location will open in Carrollton. Called BCD Tofu House, it's going into Carrollton Town Center at the intersection of President George Bush Turnpike and Trinity Mills Road, and will open in the fall.

Carrollton Town Center is the center at the intersection of the Bush Turnpike and Trinity Mills Road from Houston-based NewQuest Properties. BCD Tofu House will occupy one of the project's most prominent sites, fronting East Trinity Mills Road at an on-ramp to President George Bush Turnpike.

The first BCD Tofu House was opened in Los Angeles in 1996 by first-generation Korean immigrants Hee Sook Lee and her husband, an award-winning chef. Named after a city in Korea where the family once owned a restaurant, the chain now has 10 restaurants in California, two in New York, and one in New Jersey.

The Korean cuisine's specialty fare is velvety soft, organic "soon tofu," made at each location; soon means "soft" in Korean. Ergo, soft tofu — quivery soft, like custard.

However, there is no shortage of meat on the menu, with Korean specialties such as BBQ short rib and bibimbap, the Korean rice and vegetable dish. Don't worry carnivores, they got chya covered.

One of their most famous dishes is the assorted Soon Tofu with beef, shrimp, and clam, served in a hot stone crock.

Vegetarian and cold dishes include tofu salad with lettuce, vegetables, and tofu in sesame dressing. Crispy garlic tofu bites are perfect cubes in a light crisp crust, with garlic, green onion, and sweet-and-sour sauce. Are they better than the fried tofu squares served at BonChon? Time will tell.

According to NewQuest Properties' partner Heather Nguyen, it took them four years to get BCD signed on. "They studied the market extensively and made several trips to Texas," she says. "They saw and heard first-hand the success stories of our tenants in Carrollton Town Center. And they paid attention."

Carrollton Town Center's phase I is a dining and shopping destination with leading Asian brands as its drawing card. Those include Asian supermarket 99 Ranch Market, fun discount store Daiso, Kinokuniya bookstore, 85°C Bakery & Café, Gen Korean BBQ House, T-Swirl Crepe, and Kula's Revolving Sushi Bar.

"We're at the point in our tenancy that we're being selective," Nguyen says. "BCD Tofu House is a recognized name in the Asian community. Its customers know the quality and the brand."

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Coffee News

The drinks are unique at new Flower Mound shop Bruvana Coffee

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Bhuvana coffee

Flower Mound is abuzz thanks to a just-opened coffee shop with some distinctive drinks: Called Bruvana Coffee House, it's an independently-owned coffee spot that opened in January at 500 Flower Mound Rd. #108, with specialty coffee, matcha, snacks, and sweets.

The shop is in a center at the northeast corner of Garden Ridge Road, located in a former eyewear store between Pretty Pools and Guitars and Growlers, where it's serving unique creations like their best-selling Biscoff latte, inspired by the popular spiced Biscoff cookie; and special matcha flavors such as their banana pudding matcha latte.

Bruvana is from Ali Nawazuddin, who left the corporate world where he worked in project management for companies like Accenture and Slalom, to pursue his passion for coffee.

"Coffee always been in my family," he says. "My grandparents owned a coffee estate back in India, and I spent many summers there, where I became exposed to the process of growing it, washing, and roasting. I earned a degree in chemical engineering, and I love how it can be both an art and a science."

At Bruvana — which boasts a homophonous nod to "brewing" — he's created a spacious and tastefully modern place where people can grab a drink or stick around for a spell.

You can find classics like espresso and cappuccino, but also with the trendy, dressed-up beverages that have become an essential part of any coffee shop menu. That means ultra-trendy strawberry matcha latte, a rose vanilla matcha latte, and lavender-flavored drinks.

In addition to their Biscoff cookie latte, their other signature creations include a clever baklava latte with pistachio, honey, and oat milk; a gingerbread butterscotch latte, golden Vietnamese latte, cinnamon brown sugar latte, and a Hong Kong latte featuring espresso and a shot of black tea.

They rotate in seasonal specials with the current new lineup consisting of Hot Banana Cream Latte, Lavender Silk Cloud Latte, and Iced Banana Cream Cloud Latte. They do both hot and iced drinks, with non-dairy alternatives including soy, oat, and almond milks. Drink prices range from $5 to $7.50.

They also offer pastries and snacks, provided by acclaimed Dallas bakery La Casita Bakeshop, including cookies, muffins, croissants, cruffins, cakes, cupcakes, and a couple of savory items like a spinach & goat cheese quiche and avocado toast. "They matched the high standards that we wanted to champion in what we do," Nawazuddin says.

One of his major priorities is to be responsive.

"A lot of what we do is based on feedback," he says. "For example, some people wanted ceramic mugs so we added those. We're listening to customer requests."

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