There are two different Kaju in Irvine and this is absolutely the best one. I've been to both places but as soon as I ate here, I knew this is my go to spot for soft tofu. Amazing service and even better, the food is perfect. The galbi soft ribs and rib soft tofu was absolutely amazing and the side dishes was literally perfection especially their cucumbers. I have never tasted cucumbers like this in my life, I would definitely recommend this to everyone. read more

I really wanted to like this place after hearing about it, but my visit was a huge disappointment. The portions were ridiculously small for the prices they charge. For what we paid ($108+ before any tip), I expected decent-sized servings, but everything felt like tiny tasting portions. Very disappointing. The service was straight-up rude. The staff was unfriendly and made us feel like we were inconveniencing them just by being there. Worst of all, they messed with the tip. I clearly wrote $0.00 on the tip line because I wasn't happy with the service, but they ended up charging me more than what I wrote. That's completely unacceptable and feels dishonest. Won't be coming back. There are plenty of other Korean spots in Irvine that actually deliver good portions and respectful service. Save your money. read more

This place is pretty good. They give a lot of meat in their beef tofu soup. Didn't have to wait long read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Beef tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Service is super friendly. We got the kalbi and triple spicy tofu. The tofu is not as spicy as BCD but there's a lot more flavor. Lots of gochugaru in the soup which is nice. Banchan was really good too but their kimchi tasted a little diluted. Beer and soju is a little on the pricey side lol read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - 1. Tofu & Galbi(Beef BBQ Ribs) - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Food is good but the prices cannot be justified with the portion sizes they're giving. Bibimbap comes in a huge bowl but there's like half a serving in it. We got the stone bowl one, but the rice wasn't crispy at all but that's ok. Tofu stew didn't come with rice, but maybe it's because we got the tofu stew+bibimbap combo. I was hoping they would have the same banchan as the garden grove location, but that's not the case :( read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Banchan (they also had kimchi and veggie pancake slices) - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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Second time at Kaju! Loving how attentive the servers are. They remember your orders, bring extra panchan upon request, and the cooks in the back are making excellenttttt galbi, pork tofu soup, and crispy scallion pancakes. Yum! The open seating is excellent there's plenty of room for guests and the bathrooms are so clean. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

One of my favorite tofu spots in Irvine. The food and service are consistently good here. The ambience is lively with kpop playing in the backdrop. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Dumpling tofu and stone pot bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Even in takeout form, Kaju Soft Tofu is so delicious! I ordered: Tofu + Galbi (Beef BBQ Ribs) Combo: one of my favorite combinations ever! You can customize the Soft Tofu soup, and I did seafood this time for a little surf and turf with the tasty Galbi. This hits the spot every time, especially when it's a bit chilly outside. Galbi Tang: So comforting and hearty! Ribs were cooked super well and it was satisfying to gnaw them off the bone, haha. Soup has great depth of flavor and love adding in the glass noodles. Japchae: love how savory this is with just a hint of sweetness and great texture! Side of Kimchi (16 oz): Kaju Soft Tofu's version is my favorite - it's not too spicy so I can even eat it plain as a snack. I wanted extras to eat over the next few days, so I ordered this side. This came with a generous portion of 3 banchans: delicious bean sprouts, kimchi (napa cabbage), and kimchi cucumbers. Even for a takeout order, the service was great because everything was packed very nearly and there weren't any leaks. Thank you!! read more

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Stopped by Kaju Soft Tofu for lunch with a couple of friends on a weekday, and we were seated immediately, which was a great start. I ordered the galbi tofu soup (mild), and on a cold afternoon, it absolutely hit the spot. The broth was rich and comforting, with great flavor and a generous amount of tender meat. Everything was served perfectly alongside the rice and banchan. My favorite side dishes were the cucumber kimchi and the bean sprouts--both fresh, flavorful, and well seasoned. The ladies working were very kind and attentive, happily refilling our sides as we enjoyed them, which we really appreciated. My friends ordered the wild mushroom tofu soup and the sesame tofu soup, and both were just as delicious. Overall, a satisfying, comforting meal with great service--definitely a solid spot for a cozy lunch, especially on a chilly day. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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There was no waitlist when my friend and I arrived. The workers were very friendly and accommodating. I got the seafood and beef tofu soup with a spice level of mild. The tofu soup consisted of oyster, shrimp, clam and beef. The soup came out piping hot and very flavorful. I enjoyed all the banchan that they offered. The fried dumplings were delicious as well. My nephew fell asleep but he ate it the next day and loved it. Overall, I would come back to this place read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Haiku: Kaju Soft Tofu Korean tofu Combo meals available All-you-can-eat sides. -- You must order the Galbi BBQ beef ribs. They are succulent, tender, and full of flavor. The soondubu soup and their banchan sides' flavors are more on the mild side. Maybe we're comparing it to their Buena Park counterpart, where their broth taste is superior in savoriness and sides are more varied and flavorful. For the littles, they offer a baby plain tofu soup for $5. This is perfect for my kid bc she likes the tofu soup and fills up on the galbi beef ribs. Service is no nonsense, and possibly short staffed. We had to flag someone for some help and they didn't come around to offer more sides. The interior space reminds me of a traditional hanok--where it features the wooden frame structures. We're fans of Kaju's Buena Park location, so we assumed it'd be the same in food and service. I think we'll stick to our fave location for soondubu. read more

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Very delicious tofu soup, would say its better than BCD in my opinion. Very friendly service and refilled side dishes without us having to ask! Nice little spot to eat read more

We were given only two rices for three people when we all had ordered a tofu. And when asked for refilling sides, the lady was very rude about it. She seemed unhappy to refill it and was very rude. The whole time my party of three were eating the restaurant, they were just staring at us trying to rush us out with the bill and uncomfortable looks. Worst of all, they gave my credit card to someone else and now I am stuck without my own credit card and someone else's. When I called to ask to see if anyone else had called, they tried to deny it was their location and then when rudely said that they didn't have my card and hung up. Terrible experience. Stingy, rude, and won't even be apologetic about a mistake they made. read more

Delicious food and peaceful atmosphere. We came on a Monday night so there was not many people which was peaceful. We ordered seafood and beef tofu with beef kalbi and japchae. The food was delicious. The japchae, although higher price point, portion size was good. The tofu bowl looks small but I couldnt compare to other tofu places. The kalbi was delicious and tender. Unlimited banchan that tastes good. The last one that we asked for it, the waitress gave a little attitude but did serve it to us. Other than this instance, service was pretty good. Authentic korean food with korean employees. At authentic restaurants, I don't take attitude personally as long as the food and service are good. I would come back again for the food. read more

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The food here was pretty good actually. We came in with our BCD experience (LOL) and was trying to figure out could we just come here instead in the future. And yes! It was great and the food was passable along with the there being a basically non existent line. Really enjoyed it. Service was a bit lacking and rather middling as the server was slightly rude but it may have been her bad day or what not so I won't hold it too much against her but still... food makes up for it though! The restaurant was pretty empty and was pretty nice and tidy, I also liked how it was much more relaxing and calm and how much more quiet it was compared to like BCD so overall, not a bad experience. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Food tasted good just like what you would typically have at BCD. We came on a weekday lunch and it wasn't busy at all. What I will say is that their customer service needs some work and could use a bit of friendliness. The older lady who was helping us gave off a rude tone the moment we started ordering. I actually didn't think anything of it at first but as time went on and even though we said thank you every time she brought our food over, there was no acknowledgement whatsoever. Also we tried to flag her down for banchan refills however she passed us and went to help the other nearby 2 tables instead... Because of this we had to get the attention of the other waitress with glasses who was actually kind on the contrary. Overall, the lack of friendliness and overall general customer service overlooked the entire experience unfortunately. I think we'll be sticking to BCD. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Galbi Lunch, Chicken Teriyaki Lunch, Seafood Pancake - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

ORDER galbi + seafood tofu soup combo (4/5) it came with 6 pieces of galbi & a small tofu soup. both were delicious and packed with flavor. the meat was a little tough, but no big deal. they give plenty of side dishes that are free refills as well. my biggest complaint is a fly in the fish cake... i told one of the workers and she just replaced it with new fish cake. however, the side dishes are prepared in bulk so if there's a fly in my portion, the whole batch is contaminated. unfortunately, i noticed towards the end of my meal :') SERVICE quick service, just wished the fly issue was acknowledged rather than overlooked. AMBIANCE parking may be a little hard to find, but there was no wait on a thursday night. spacious restaurant with plenty of seats. read more

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Definitely an experience; the soup is good for sure--the fish was way too bony for me, but that's the fish type I would say not how it was cooked; staff is friendly but was not really able to help with recommendations. They also gave me a raw egg without explanation--I think it's for the soup? Good place to try, but if you are not familiar with the food (I am not), you are on your own. Portion was also way larger than expected--good and bad... read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Dumpling tofu soup - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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I went here for lunch before 3pm. When I paid, they charged me for dinner price. When I brought up to them, they said computer false and didn't let them change. That is stealing. read more

love love love this place. so underrated compared to other nearby soon tofu places! its definitely my favorite one to go to the banchan is always a fan favorite for us~ we tried the bulgogi hot stone and it was good! im not the biggest bulgogi fan because i personally don't prefer sweet meat but i liked this one, especially because they included a balanced portion of vegetables service is pretty typical of a Korean owned restaurant. ambiance is quite peaceful, its not very crowded when we go beef bulgogi hot stone + seafood tofu combo: 9/10 seafood tofu: 9/10 bulgogi: 8/10 banchan: 10/10 the best read more

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We went there on the way from La Jolla to Pasadena, it's about halfway. We were supposed to Tofu King but they don't offer a dine-in, then we went to Chong Qing Restaurant at the same plaza but also without a dine-in. The entire plaza was so deserted at mid-Febuary, gave me a miserable feeling at the COVID time. It's only 8 pm but several restaurants were already closed, Kaju became an option that still had the bright light. This is a Korean restaurant, at least the clerks speak Korean instead of Chinese. We ordered Hot Stone Bibimbap with Little Octopus and Beef Intestine Tofu. I have to say, the food is authentic and ethnic. The Bibimbap is hot, well spicy level, chewy and good flavor. The octopus dices are very tiny, btw, I got a pair of octopus teeth. The tofu is also good, but with more beef intestine will be better. The free 6 dishes including kimchi, cucumber, bean sprouts, dried bean and etc, are also good, crunchy, and crispy. The service is not that kind but I guess it's the language issue. The foods are good and ranked it as 2nd or 3nd tofu in the Los Angeles area. The first is the one on Grand Ave, Chino Hills. read more

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The galbi combo and seafood tofu portions are smaller compared to takeout from BCD Tofu House, but the taste is better. Takeout doesn't come with egg. Only one banchan set instead of two for the same price, which makes the value a bit lower despite the better taste. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - 1. Tofu & Galbi(Beef BBQ Ribs) 11. Seafood Tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Food: 9/10 I had the spicy pork bulgogi combo with galbi tofu soup, and I opted for the very spicy version of the soup. It was absolutely delicious! I loved all the flavors in the bulgogi. It's such great comfort food, especially with the weather getting colder. Service: 10/10 The service was amazing! Our server was incredibly attentive throughout our meal, making sure we had everything we needed. Price: 3/10 The total came to $32.42, including tax and tip, which is definitely on the pricier side! I understand we had a variety of dishes, but at that price, I'd rather go for an AYCE Korean BBQ. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Good and fast service. Always love a good banchan. I got the combo with bulgogi and short rib soft tofu. The short rib was very soft and melted in my mouth. read more

Pubic hair in tofu soup right on top! I open up a delivery of Tofu soups and my plain white tofu soup had a red shrimp antenna and a 2" long curly black pubic hair. I wanted to puke !! So from my experience cooks who are unhappy with their jobs will do this. I recommend never eating at this Kaju location!!! Disgusting that someone in their kitchen would do this!! I can only imagine how often they do this. read more

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This definitely hit the spot for a cold afternoon and being sick. I saw lots of people on TikTok suggesting this for some soondubu so my boyfriend and I decided to give this a try. He's from the area but has never been, but I'm not from OC so I wasn't sure what spots are go to for tofu soup. This place was probably in my top 3 for OC though! The location isn't the greatest, but it's not bad. The lot is terrible, it's so hard to find parking. There's also a Tesla supercharger in the lot so it adds extra traffic. But it's in a good spot in Irvine, so that contributes to the traffic. The restaurant itself isn't that crowded and it has a good amount of seats and is pretty clean! Service was pretty good. The workers were hustling and getting things done. I have no complaints really. They didn't really socialize but they weren't rude. They were simply getting the job done. Food was really yummy and comforting. I love the amount of Banchan given and that a fried mackerel (I think) was included! The gave lots of Banchan! I had spicy stir fried octopus and pork soondubu! It was really yummy and the spice was what I needed for my cold that was taking over. My boyfriend had bibimbap and spicy beef soondubu. He had a cold taking over and he said that's exactly what he needed too. This place was definitely comforting and satisfying. I definitely say come here if you're craving some good, homey Korean food. Just be prepared to fight for parking! read more

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I recently started coming here again, maybe once every 2-3 weeks for the last 4 months. I get the oyster tofu and I usually am a spice wuss but I do get medium and it's perfect! Sometimes the service isn't the friendliest but they are prompt and I do come in on the later side around 9 after volleyball and they close at 10. I try to order and eat fast though! Sometimes they run out of the fish but love the cucumbers and Kim chi. Highly recommend this place! Great flavors and consistent quality. I have brought my mom and a friend and they both liked it too. Also there's a 6 percent discount if you pay cash! read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - 13. Kimchi & Oyster Tofu Soup (I ask for no kimchi) - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

There was no wait and food came out extremely fast! Our waitress was super sweet. In the same plaza as HeyTea so it was super convenient. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

I've always really liked this place but over the last couple years have noticed it's gone downhill when it comes to service. The word that best describes it is: chaotic, and slightly intrusive. I love the homely feel of the place, and the servers for the most part are very sweet. And the food is delicious. But I think they're understaffed, on top of that, there's a blatant difference in service if you don't obviously speak the language- I've noticed it more than once, orders are taken even if you were seated earlier than surrounding guests, banchan delivered later, and this doesn't have anything to do with them finding a more adeptly English speaking server, it'll be the same person taking the order even but they kind of ignore? :/ you until you ask for help and I notice they serve the Korean patrons much faster. This has been a pattern. Today's encounter was a little odd and unnecessary, I was seated before a neighboring party, but their order was taken first and rice and ban chan delivered first. She noticed that I noticed, she said, yours is coming. I gave her a thumbs and said no problem. She was then taking their order and I guess they told her they didn't need the fourth egg and rice bowl as the 4th person in their party didn't want it and she picked it up and slid it over to my table the way you slide something into the trash. After taking their order she turned to me and said "you can have this, they don't want it" I told her if I could get rice that wasn't already served to someone else and said it's because I'm paranoid... in an effort to explain although looking back I didn't really have to explain why I didn't want something that had been sitting on another table. She proceeded to hold the egg up to my face and said it's just egg you don't want it? No want? New egg! I said please, it's ok, I don't want it. I had come for a me-time lunch and this was just unnecessary and intrusive. The neighboring table had to intervene in Korean and told her (I presume) she doesn't want the egg from our table. The server came back later and put a new rice bowl on my table and said this is new and and I gave her the thumbs up sign, just kind of wanted to be left alone with my food at this point. I really like this place for the food and overall atmosphere but this was just too much. I think quality of service has been an issue looking at other reviews, if management can take this seriously and perhaps re-train on some basics I think this place will do very well! Pic attached bcos the food was good. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Lunch special - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

overall score: C+ order: galbi combo + meat/seafood soup the food here was pretty good, everything tasted good ranging from the sides to the entrees. i really liked the potato salad, fish cake, and cucumber. the galbi tasted good as well but it did seem a little small, and also a little tough. the soup was good, no complaints. however, throughout eating, we found a fly in our fishcake. we told them about it and they only offered new fish cake. no type of refund or anything. besides that, food was good. service: a little slow but it is only one person working the front. she was kind. ambiance: very spacious inside and lots of tables. it was not a problem getting seated. read more

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Amazing spot!! I had never tried soft tofu and it was such a great experience. The place was very clean and eh service was great. They refilled our bowls multiple times and we turned them down a few times. Great spot! read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - 14. Mushroom Tofu Soup - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Low-key came to satisfy my banchan craving... with soft tofu on the side... ha ha! Absolutely love the variety of banchan, from the classic kimchi, to pieces of pancake, to fried fish, to my favorite.. fish cake! I get peeved at places that just have pickled everything... but not here! Best of all, the Korean ladies are so so quick & kind, they OFFER to refill before I even ask or need it! They take your order as soon as seated, banchan and water arrive immediately, and food comes out within 5-10 min. Now for the soft tofu on the side. Love cracking an egg inside as soon as it arrives bubbling hot. I think I need to get spicier next time. Mild is truly mild, not spicy nor super flavorful whatsoever. Got to go container cause... I got full off the banchan LOL Seafood pancake here is pretty delicious as well, great for sharing with larger parties. This was my first 'Welcome to Irvine' meal when I moved here a few years ago, and I still come here from time to time - sometimes by myself. Usually don't need to wait. Came Friday night and was pretty full capacity but still able to get seated right away. Downside is parking is in the Orange Tree plaza and it gets squishy. Clean & casual medium sized Korean establishment, ideal for parties up to 4. Great for quick catch-ups and/or quick meals. I get a chuckle out of the silly llama and elephant artwork in the bathroom. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Side Dishes - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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I would like to give it 4.5 stars. I think I do like it slightly better than BCD, since I noticed that the flavor is more prominent and spicy. I also like the side dishes more, particularly the cucumber side! I appreciated that the server lady asked us if we wanted a refill on the cucumber before we asked for it (: If you are looking for an alternative besides BCD, give this place a try! (although just a forewarning, I think that the vibes were just slightly off since I noticed that the servers do seem to talk abt the customers in korean) read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - 25. Galbi Dinner - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

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Underrated soft tofu spot that never has a wait compared to the popular soft tofu chains in the area. The banchan is also very good, I love the cucumber kimchi. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Soft tofu (spicy and mild) + banchan - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Today while my husband minded the kids, he told me to get out and have some time to myself. I decided to dine here as it is a spot my husband and I go to from time to time. One of the reasons why I chose to go here was because I really enjoy Banchan. I should premise this by saying I am not Asian. I didn't really get a chance to look at the menu before I was approached to place my order. Luckily, I'd already decided before coming that I'd be ordering their japchae. So I just placed my order. It took a while for the banchan to come and when it came there were only 4. I was a little surprised but figured maybe they're low on supply or now serve only 4. Shortly after the table next to me (Asian) got up to leave and I noticed they had 6. I was confused but figured maybe they're giving more to parties that are more than 1 but then I noticed a man (Asian) eating by himself who also had 6. It wasn't long before I noticed all other tables who were all Asian had 6 banchan. Only I had 4 and I was the only non Asian. I was bothered so I figured when they check on my table I can simply ask. They never checked on my table. Eventually I asked for the check and left. I do have to say, there's a lady who works there who is very nice. She didn't take my order or serve my food but I did ask her to bring my check and I noticed she did a double take of the banchan but at this point what was she going to say "before you leave, here is the banchan we never gave you?". She's the only reason I'm giving 2 stars rather than 1. read more

I'm super proud to be a patron of pretty much every Kaju location, so I knew what to expect coming in! I was left simply full and happy! Kaju isn't too crowded on the weekdays, like this night I visited. We were seated right away and put in our orders rather quickly. I love getting the bulgogi and soup combo, because it's the best value, and it's super filling. I chose dumpling soup! It came out, in addition to the side dishes, like the bean sprouts and their famous cucumbers. Everything tasted on par with the other locations, so I definitely recommend visiting read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - 5. Tofu & Bulgogi Combo Dinner - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

A consistent, reliable place to get sundubu jjigae. The mushroom version is packed with large pieces of mushroom. Others in the group also ordered the galbi ribs and seafood sundubu jjigae. The seafood version had a variety of shellfish in it. The kimchi jeon was big and can definitely be shared by groups larger than four. Although it was oily and thicker, not as crispy. The banchan was disappointing. It didn't taste as fresh as other places. The service was quick and the employees were very friendly to us. Located in a large shopping center, there's plenty of parking. read more

Kaju Soft Tofu - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Rude server; horrible experience. I rarely write reviews, but I felt I needed to share this experience. The hot stone pot was served without water, and no water was provided until I had nearly finished my meal. As a result, the rice at the bottom was completely burnt. When I asked whether it was even safe to eat something that burnt, the server responded that it was "normal" and insisted there was no issue, even becoming irritated when I mentioned that the water had been brought far too late. The server's attitude was extremely rude, implying that the restaurant was busy enough that they didn't need to care about customers like me. It was disappointing to pay for a meal and leave feeling this way. Even though K‑food is becoming more popular, the service and overall dining environment here seem far behind what customers should reasonably expect. read more

I like this tofu place better than BCD for their tofu stew. And they have more options on their menu. They also give more side dishes. Service is good. Ambiance is fine. Our family prefers this one over BCD. read more

The boys are back and we're going to one of our favorite soondubu places! It's Kaju in Irvine! But they've got 2 other locations, so you're covered all over Orange County! Come here for the hottest soft tofu soup! This is the definition of the quintessential Korean komfort food! Come here if you've got a crazy hangover, or come here to just charge up before a fun night! It can get busy though, so get here and join the waitlist early! Order real fast, and get your food even faster! Great sides adorn the table along with your rice, and you've got to try these fish cakes. They do it better than anyone I've seen do 'em. They're thiccy, meaty, and texturally so satisfying to chew on. The kimchi is pretty fresh too, so you get a satisfying cold crunch to go with your super hot meal! Remember, you can have as MANY refills as you want for these sides, so eat up! I got the pork tofu soup medium, and it was the perfect spice level for me! And I got the intestine tofu soup spicy, because...well, you know. Drop your eggs in here, let 'em cook in the still-boiling hot soup, and dig in. The flavors here aren't revolutionary, at least to people who've had tofu soup before, but the ratios are awesome. Chili flakes, korean-style-dashi, and sesame oil, along with your aromatics? It's a match made in korean heaven, or whatever! There's something so incredible about eating out of a crazy hot bowl, that keeps your food as hot as you could want! Oof~ There's so much food for you here. You'll be saying yum all the way home! read more