We’re officially kicking off the DMV edition of eating at 100 Asian restaurants, and there was really only one place I wanted to start. Annandale raised a big part of me. My cousins live out in NoVa, and some of my favorite childhood nights were spent out here, eating everything in sight and singing karaoke until way too late, lol.
Lighthouse Tofu in Annandale was one of those spots my parents and extended family came back to over and over, and after this visit with Minje, I’m ready to call it the best soondubu in the DMV. If you’ve never had Korean soft tofu stew, that’s the thing to get, bubbling hot in a stone bowl with your choice of spice level and protein. Their mushroom soondubu’s my go-to, the potato pancake’s a must, and the whole meal lands right in that cozy, feeds-your-soul lane.
@nomtastickim Nomsters!!! @Minje and I are officially back at it with #100AsianRestaurantsInTheDMV ❤ I know I was posting every other day for Maryland, but we’re going to do things a little differently this time. We’ll be dropping new videos every Monday and Thursday so make sure you keep an eye out 😬 This gives us some breathing room since this isn’t our full time job and also allows me to post lots of other content in addition to this. We’re working on more episodes for #TheDishThatRaisedMe AND I have one more series I’ll be dropping soonish so YAY 😃 Anywho, I really wanted to kick off the DMV edition of this in Annandale because I spent so much time here growing up. My cousins live in NoVa, and we spent MANY nights here eating all the things and singing karaoke, lol. Lighthouse Tofu was a go-to spot for my parents + extended family, and I think they have the BEST soondubu in the DMV. Here’s everything I ordered + recommend: ▪️Jeyuk Combo ($29.99): you get a tofu stew of your choice + a small spicy pork dish. I like mushroom so that’s my go-to, but they have lots of other proteins to choose from. The jeyuk bokkum isn’t my favorite here, but it’s good, and I like enjoying it with my jjigae. Minje got their beef + pork soondubu BTW. ▪️Potato Pancake (감자전 for $13.99): they have two sizes, and we went with the smaller one. I really like getting this here. It’s crispy and golden around the edges, then soft in the center with a nice chewiness to it. It comes with a sweet soy dipping sauce, and it’s lovely✨ As for banchan, they don’t give you a huge assortment, but that’s typical of tofu houses. The 4 we got were kimchi, soy pickled radish, sprout side dish, and cucumber kimchi. All solid. Definitely make sure you check them out if you haven’t yet!! I promise you’ll love it 😊 PS. make sure you ask for stone pot rice‼️ 📍4121 Chatelain Road, Annandale, VA ⏰10-11PM daily #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ Rafter and Stone – Mildred Crank
What Makes Lighthouse Tofu Awesomesauce?
Lighthouse is a tofu house, which means the whole menu orbits that silky soft tofu stew, right in the heart of Annandale’s Koreatown. What sets it apart is how personal they let you make it. You pick your protein, mushroom, seafood, beef, or a beef and pork combo, and you pick your spice level across five steps, from white all the way up to spicy spicy.
So everyone at the table gets their own bowl dialed in exactly how they like it. They also do Korean BBQ, if you want to go bigger, but the soondubu’s the heart of the place, and it’s the thing my family always came back to.
What to Order at Lighthouse Tofu
Soondubu, aka the Jeyuk Combo ($29.99)
The soondubu’s the whole reason to come. I got the Jeyuk Combo, which pairs a soft tofu stew of your choice with a small spicy pork dish on the side. I always go mushroom for my stew, but you’ve got options, and Minje got the beef and pork soondubu and was just as happy.
They let you choose how spicy it gets, so set it to your tolerance instead of just nodding along. The stew comes out literally bubbling, and you eat it with rice, so do yourself a favor and ask for the stone pot rice! That crispy-bottomed upgrade makes the meal. The jeyuk bokkum pork on the side wasn’t my favorite part, honestly, but it’s good, especially spooned right into the jjigae.
Potato Pancake ($13.99)
The gamjajeon’s a must-order for the table. It comes in two sizes and we went with the smaller one, which was plenty for two of us. It’s crispy and golden around the edges, soft with a nice chewiness in the center, and it comes with a sweet soy dipping sauce for dunking. So simple and so yum! If you’re the type who always orders a pancake at a Korean spot, this one holds up.
The Banchan (and What Else to Know)
Tofu houses don’t hit you with a huge spread of banchan, and that’s completely normal, so don’t walk in expecting ten little dishes. We got four: kimchi, soy pickled radish, a sprout side, and cucumber kimchi, all solid, and they’ll refill them if you ask. One more thing worth knowing even though I didn’t order it this time, Lighthouse also does Korean BBQ, so you can absolutely come back and make it a bigger, meatier meal.
What’s Soondubu?
Soondubu (you’ll also see it spelled sundubu) is a Korean soft tofu stew. The “soft” part’s the whole point: this is the silkiest, uncurdled tofu, so the texture’s completely different from the firm blocks you cube into a stir fry, it’s closer to custard.
It’s simmered in a deeply savory, usually spicy broth with your protein of choice and served screaming hot in a stone pot, often with a raw egg to stir in at the table. It’s the ultimate cold-weather comfort bowl, and if you want to go deeper on what goes into a classic soondubu jjigae, here’s a good rundown.
Why This One’s Personal
I know I call a lot of spots special, but this one genuinely is for me. Coming back to Lighthouse and ordering that mushroom soondubu hit different. Sitting in Annandale with a bubbling bowl in front of me felt like coming back to something familiar. If you grew up with a spot like this, you already get it.
The Vibe and Experience
Lighthouse is a casual, come-as-you-are Korean restaurant, the kind of unfussy place where the focus is 100% on the food. It’s walk-in only with no reservations, and it gets packed on weekends around lunch, so time it accordingly or be ready for a short wait.
There’s a free lot out front plus overflow parking behind the building. They bring complimentary hot tea during the meal, it’s open super late, and it’s an easy one for families or a group. If you’re making a whole NoVa food day of it, my go-to for Peking duck, Peking Gourmet Inn, is just up the road in Falls Church.
Good to Know
- 📍 4121 Chatelain Rd, Annandale, VA 22003, tucked behind the Burger King on Columbia Pike
- Hours: open 10am to 11pm, every single day
- Walk-in only, no reservations, and weekend lunch gets busy
- Parking: free lot in front plus overflow behind the building
- Pick your spice level (white, mild, medium, spicy, or spicy spicy) and your protein for the soondubu
- Ask for the stone pot rice, trust me on this one
- They take cards and mobile pay, so no hunting for an ATM
- Dine in or get it to go, and delivery runs through the usual apps
- Heads up, there’s also a Lighthouse Tofu / Vit Goel Tofu over in Centreville with different hours, so double-check you’re headed to the Annandale original
- Gluten-free diners can be accommodated, just ask
Is Lighthouse Tofu Worth the Drive?
1000% yes!! If you love Korean comfort food, Lighthouse is worth going out of your way for, and I mean it when I say it’s the best soondubu in the DMV. The Washington Post’s critic ranked it among the best Korean tofu in the DC area too, so it’s not just me being sentimental. It’s my top pick for soondubu, and an easy add to a NoVa food day with Banh Mi Oi in Falls Church right nearby.
Have you guys been to Lighthouse yet, or is there a soondubu spot you think gives it a run for its money? Let me know in the comments, Nomsters, and if you’ve got a NoVa pick I need to hit for this series, drop it below. Save this one for your next freezing day, because trust me, a bowl of soondubu fixes a lot!