Bui Natural Tofu - Portland

I've come to Bui for years, it's one of my favorite food places in Portland. On NE 76th, just north of NE Glisan, it is a small place run by very sweet people. One of the things I love about Vietnamese restaurants is that it is a strong and respected Buddhist tradition to be vegetarian, so even places that are guided by non-practitioners receive vegetarian food. When they say it is vegetarian, it has no hidden animal ingredients to ask a million questions to avoid. Of course the salad rolls are my way. But they have bean and rice dishes and sticky rice dishes, lemongrass fried tofu, and you can also get fresh soy milk (sweet or simply tofu. They roast their vegan stuff in separate hairdressers from their meats. (I'm sure I asked once, but feel free, double check and confirm or not please. But the deserts! They have 2 different coconut milk-based puddings that are heavenly (bananas and mixed, that's my favorite, with pieces of taro and peanuts and tapioca Quiggles not too sweet! And other desserts come with a beautiful cream that you supplement when you eat it. Most of them are not too sweet (but pay attention to the sweet soup very sweet! . Also one of my favorites is the bánh da lợn. Vietnamese is a tone language so that the music differs from it a word with the same letters from another with another tone. This is pronounced bánh, that sounds almost like bungalow, but with a rising tone as you use when you say what? ; there will be you in an apartment (not rising or falling tone; and the lợn sounds almost like the word loan, but said in a low register and short. Wow, I digresse. I learn Vietnamese on Duolingo and was taken away! I love bánh da lợn as much for the amazing taste as it looks and its name. They call it green cake for us not Vietnamese, but his name is really funny for me (I don't know why it tickles me so much, although it is 100% vegetarian (almost sure vegan, the name translates pork skin cake. Whaaat?? And it's so beautiful! Thin layers of electric emerald green tapioca/cococo milk creamy, shiny smooth alternating with equally thin layers of subtle yellow green maize paste. Okay, okay, I know if you never had it, you think WTF? That doesn't sound like name or description. But it's amazing! Try it if you are lucky enough that they are on the day you are!

I've been getting salad rolls from Bui for over a decade. They have many vegan and gluten-free options, including savory and sweet. The bánh cam (fried and filled with mung rice donuts) are a biiiiig favorite. Like lemongrass Tofu.

Fast service even if busy. There's nothing I don't like here.

Their salad rolls are seriously incredible. The price has gone up since the last review.... to $3.50 for two good sized tofu rolls with a terrific sauce. They also have tons of desserts and the cashier was really helpful in saying which ones were vegan/vegetarian and which to avoid. This is my absolute go-to on these hot summer days for a tasty, filling snack!

Bui has the best fresh rolls and they’re only $3 for two giant ones! They also have amazing homemade tofu that’s very affordably priced; you can buy it by individual blocks. My favorite is the fresh onion tofu. I never miss a chance to stop by Bui whenever I’m in the neighborhood!