The first and most noticeable plus point when you set foot in Tu Dau is its spaciousness. The restaurant's facade is designed to be extremely airy with a retractable awning and a prominent signboard. The parking area in front of the restaurant is incredibly spacious, giving diners complete peace of mind about security and avoiding the need to squeeze through crowds during peak hours.
The interior space bears the strong style of familiar casual eateries with a corrugated iron roof, a ventilation fan system, and strung yellow lights, creating a bustling, cozy, and intimate atmosphere.
As noted, the restaurant is always crowded, attracting a large number of young people and students. Especially on full moon days or traditional vegetarian days, “running out of tables” is an everyday occurrence.
However, there is a point to note to avoid confusion: recently, the restaurant deleted its old location (which had been operating for years and had many reviews) to change its status to “permanently closed” on Google Maps. Therefore, if you plan to visit, pay attention to finding the exact signboard directly on the street instead of relying entirely on the old location pin.
The core factor that retains Tu Dau's massive customer base probably lies in its “unbeatable” market prices. Holding the menu in hand, anyone would be surprised by the restaurant's affordability. A vegetarian Thai hotpot for one person is a mere 30,000 VND, a set for 2 people is 50,000 VND, and for larger groups of 3 or more, prices range only from 70,000 VND to 150,000 VND.
Not only the hotpot, but add-on items like various mushrooms, vegetarian sausage, yuba (tofu skin), or instant noodles are also super cheap, ranging from only 4,000 to 15,000 VND. Even the refreshment drinks menu is listed at extremely "pocket-friendly" prices, mostly set at a flat rate of 10,000 - 12,000 VND. This is truly an excellent economic solution for student gatherings.
Speaking of the main character, the vegetarian Thai hotpot, the food quality here is rated as acceptable and highly worthy of its price range. The hotpot broth scores points with its eye-catching signature reddish-orange color, bringing an easy-to-eat sour and spicy flavor that is seasoned quite perfectly and richly. The side dishes accompanying a standard hotpot are quite diverse, ranging from fresh mushrooms, green vegetables, rice noodles, and instant noodles to pieces of golden, crispy fried yuba.
Although the ingredients are not of the expensive, premium kind, the skillful combination creates a delicious and heartwarming meal.
Regarding service, the strength of the staff at Tu Dau is their agility. No matter how crowded the restaurant gets, food and drinks are still served to the table quite quickly, without making diners wait long.
However, due to the pressure of the constant flow of customers, the staff's attitude sometimes fails to maintain full warmth and attentiveness. This is a minor minus point but completely understandable for a crowded casual eatery model.
One more crucial piece of information for you: the restaurant currently does not accept bank transfers. Therefore, to ensure a complete and uninterrupted dining experience, remember to prepare cash in your wallet before coming to the restaurant.
