Barbecued tofu at Brothers satisfies soul-food cravings

First Wolfe’s closed, then OiNKs! bit the dust, leaving very little besides Moe’s in terms of barbecue options for non-meat-eaters in the metro area. But there is another chain option — a locally grown chain, of course — that serves up a decent barbecued tofu: Brothers BBQ.

The tofu is available in the same combinations that Brothers offers for meat: beef ribs, pork ribs, beef brisket, pulled-pork shoulder and chicken. The sliced tofu strips are “ash-fried and grilled with our Sweet BBQ sauce for caramelization,” which you can see on the bite-sized pieces of tofu in the photo, along with the grill marks. You can order the tofu on a sandwich for $6.79, a sandwich special (which comes with a side and a drink) for $8.79, or the meat special, a full half-pound of tofu with two sides and a bun for $9.49. (Brothers also offers the tofu “meat pack” — one pound of tofu, two pints of sides and four buns — and tofu by the quarter-pound, half-pound and pound.)

This tofu doesn’t have a very strong smoked flavor, but it’s delicious nonetheless; the caramelization leaves the strips crispy on the outside, and the sauce gives each bite a sweet flavor. Loaded up on a bun and drizzled with more of Brothers’ sweet sauce, it satisfied our cravings for some down-home-style food (sans meat).

Apart from the baked beans (which contain tidbits of pork), most of the sides are veggie-friendly, too, including the mac and cheese, coleslaw and potato salad (although vegans will want to avoid all those options). You can also get a side salad, and Brothers serves Boulder Canyon potato chips, thick-sliced and kettle-cooked. Mmm.

Brothers also added banana pudding to its menu recently, making a decent veggie (not vegan)-friendly dessert.

The chain has five metro-area locations; visit www.brothers-bbq.com.

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