I've never understood the point of meat substitutes. If I want the taste and texture of meat, I'll eat meat, and if I don't want to eat meat, I want to eat a meal which is designed specifically to require no meat — not a previously meat-filled meal with the meat removed or substituted. And you're right, tofu is often the prime culprit for ill-fitting meat substitutes; I've also seen it used as a substitute for scrambled eggs, which sounds really unappealling.

And now you've made me crave agedashi dofu!