This is not about tofu tasting almost as good as meat or serving as invisible protein in some smoothie. This is about the unique charms of the quivering brick of soy milk curds showcased in the most approachable way. It’s about tofu fries at Greens & Proteins.

As a side or a meal ($4.32 for a dozen), the tofu is rolled in rice flour, flash-fried in healthy grape seed oil and dusted with a fine chop of fresh parsley and a spice mix that swings from the zing of lemon pepper to the earthiness of paprika. Biting into one plain, you get the satisfying crunch of the seasoned crust and the surprise of a hot, chewy center that celebrates the soybean’s nutty essence. Dunked in Russian dressing (even tastier with a few dots of Cholula’s vinegar-tinged heat), these tofu nuggets have the chewy-creamy appeal of fried raviolis in thick sauce. Of course they’re better for you, but that’s not why they’re worth driving across town for. They are just delicious.