The texture of Ipoh taufufa is unbelievable.
So silky smooth, it slides down your throat with ease, cooling its path and bringing much comfort to the parched throat.
Otherwise it works just as well as a deserved treat. There isn’t a need to justify a (or more) bowl of beancurd when you are in Ipoh!
Lightly sweeten with your choice of liquid ginger, basic or palm sugar, taufufa (tau foo fah/soybean curd) is a cheap treat too.
A particular brand is famous for their taufufa, with notorious queues and absurd tiny servings.
I tried it before a few years back but couldn’t recall how it was like (read: unmemorable). 2 attempts to try it on this trip turned out to be futile.
UPDATE: Finally managed to try it after 2 years and still find it so-so.
*** Funny Mountain: (visited in Oct 2015)
Tiny servings, long queues. However the queue isn’t as terrible on weekdays (non-public holidays).
BELOW: Yes, I’m having 2 bowls at one go. Because one is just not enough!
Verdict: Not worth the price and wait. Within Ipoh there are others offering better portion for the same or lower price and with much superior service/dining environment.
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To substantiate my point, I have listed 5 different taufufa (tau foo fah) options in Ipoh that are as good, if not better than Funny Mountain.
The best for me was Woong Kee followed by Ding Feng Tau Fu Fa and lastly Tai Soo. Tai Soo’s beancurd isn’t as slithery smooth as the other 2, but it had me at gula melaka AND thick coconut milk.
Gosh, why isn’t everyone adding gula melaka and coconut milk to their tau fu fa (tau foo fah) ? It is a marvelous combo!
1. Ding Feng Tau Fu Fa:
Top left: Original with ginger syrup (RM1.30), Teo Chew with crushed peanut syrup (RM1.80) and lastly the Sea bird nest with Gingko Nuts (RM2.80).
Frankly the sea bird one was a waste of money. Not much of taste but just a novelty of having seabird nest. The gingko was disappointingly bland.
Personally I’ll stick to the teo chew or original.
Ding Feng is located in most notorious tourist area of Ipoh town.
Just look for the lane opposite Kong Heng or Thean Chun named Concubine Lane. The brand is from Kampar and it just started operations here on Concubine Lane about a year ago.
The shop is small but you can’t possibly miss it. Service is efficient, price is cheap and the area is clean.
Below: Lady boss bottling the soy milk one by one.
A sneak peek of the production area at the back.
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2. Tai Soo.
Granted, the beancurd’s texture isn’t as soft but I love their coconut milk, corn, gula melaka version (RM2.90). If I were to order it again, I’ll skip the corn though. The combo of gula melaka (Tai Soo’s is thick and aromatic!) and coconut milk was heavenly.
Tai Soo is ideal for those who appreciates a bit of variety to their tau fu fa (tau foo fah) .
The menu offers novel variants such as chendol version of tau fu fa (tau foo fah) as well as the original Ais Kacang and Chendol.
That means more variety to tickle the tastebuds, but they retained the original as well of course. Besides, if you visit in a group, it is not limited to just soy milk and soy beancurd.
And yes, service is brisk and friendly. Parking is a hassle though; due to its location on the main street.
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3. Woong Kee:
Woong Kee was highly recommended by the locals as a contender to Funny Mountain.
Silky smooth beancurd, strong ginger syrup, fair portions and excellent customer service, I don’t see a reason why Woong Kee couldn’t be the next, if not, a better option than Funny Mountain. In fact, the brand has been around for 5 -6 years.
Yet puzzlingly, Woong Kee remained relatively unknown (to non-locals) though this shop have been in operations for some time.
Its modus operandi is similar; the shop itself is tiny with seatings available in bar-like stools or you can choose to sit outside on the pavement.
Likewise, you can opt to have it served to you in the air-conditioning comforts of your vehicle. For take-aways, just call or honk for service.
In keeping with hip times, Woong Kee offers some unique variations as well. There are red bean toppings, chrysanthemum syrup in addition to the original and ginger syrups.
Stay engaged to their FB page for updates on their limited pumpkin tang yuan (pumpkin glutinous rice balls), something that I’ll missed too on this trip.
But no fret, we had the original (RM1.20) and Cincau (grass jelly), peanut sesame, soya milk, brown sugar (mixed with gula melaka) – RM2.50 and found both excellent.
Do note that if you add soy milk to the tau fu fa (tau foo fah), the sweetness level will be diluted.
Like I’ve mentioned above, the black bean soymilk was unfortunately overly sweet for me.
Small bottle blackbean (RM2.50). Original (RM1.70).
We were obsessed with the tau fu fa (tau foo fah) this time and didn’t try the soy milk at each shop except for Woong Kee. We chose the black soybean version and although it does have a strong soybean essence, it was overly sweet for us.
Unfortunately they are all pre-bottled so there wasn’t an option for lower sugar version.
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4. One of the more unique ones I’ve encountered is this “soya jelly” version from Sole Maker.
Instead of scooping out the beancurd upon order, the beancurd were pre-sweetened and chilled in their containers.
Thus it is a whole “block” of firm soy beancurd, minus the need to add sugar.
And hence also there isn’t an option for ginger, black or white sugar. All are made with white sugar.
However, you get the choices of original, mango, strawberry, DURIAN (I kid you not!) and corn (RM2.50 each).
I tried the plain one (RM2.50) and found it smooth and wobbly with the perfect level of sweetness. It is less messy to eat since it is in a container and sugar is incorporated into the “jelly”.
Thus this is ideal for takeaway (no worrying of syrup spillage) and will last longer too, since it is prechilled.
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5. Last but not least I’ll like to give Lou Yao Kei tau fu fa (tau foo fah) in Bercham a mention here.
I tried it back in June 2014. I won’t say it’s worth the drive from town but if you happened to be in Bercham area, this could be your taufufa (tau foo fah) fix.
Joanna who is a Ipoh-native girl said her favourite taufufa stall.
Since we have the VW Passat at our disposal, what’s a little drive out of Ipoh centre right?
We were rewarded with silky, soft taufufa. The sugar is barely sweet and at one point I contemplated asking for sugar top-up. This would certainly suit those who prefers to appreciate the soybean curd minus too much sugar.
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LOCATIONS:
1. Woong Kee
32-38A (Bawah), Jalan Ali Pitchay, 30250 Ipoh, Perak
Waze: ” ”
Hours: 1 pm – 5pm (or until sold out)
Call before going, 2 off days in a month but these off days are not fixed.
Contact: +60165333210
2. Ding Feng Tau Fu Fa
Jalan Hala Timah 1,
31900 Kampar, Perak
Waze: ” Jalan Panglima” or Kong Heng or Thean Chun. Look for the “Concubine Lane” alley.
Hours: TBU. To be updated.
3. Tai Soo
24 Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Hours: Mon-Sun: 11:30 am-6:00 pm
Off: Usually Wed, but do check their FB page for sometimes it is closed for 2 days in a row.
*Located near Kamdar buidling & Institut Angkasa.
Waze: https://waze.to/lr/hw0
4. Sole Maker Organic Taufufa
Jalan Theatre,
30300, Ipoh, Perak.
Waze: ” Jalan Theatre” or Funny Mountain. It’s just opposite FT!
Hours: 1030am – finish.
5. Lou Yao Kei Tau Tu Fa in Bercham.
Look out for this electrical shop. See the hole-in-wall shop and that van? This is it.
More: https://www.rebeccasaw.com/lou-yao-kei-tau-tu-fa-bercham-perak/
And well, if you really must, this is the address for Funny Mountain.
Funny Mountain Ipoh soybean & tau fu fa: 49, Jalan Theatre, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
So that’s my list for now. I hope you will find it useful for your Ipoh trip!
PS: Anyone has more recommendations for tau fu fa (tau foo fah) in Ipoh? Do let me know on Insta/FB/FB Page or email or leave a comment here! 🙂
PPS: I’m looking for accommodation in Ipoh. Any hotel/AirBnB/hostels/homestay that YOU would suggest?
i kinda regret that i didn’t have any taufufa when i was in ipoh last year, since i so rarely visit ipoh, heh. tai soo sounds interesting … and very reasonably priced! 🙂
Yay for the price and quality. Gosh i can eat it 5 times a day. lol. so silky and cooling . My fav is Tai Soo’s too… but for silkiness it’s Woong Kee 😀
Woong Kee black soyabean, u can ask for less sweet or sweetless or u can add gula melaka as u wish. I knew them not long ago and off n on I will help them serving customers especially for take away packing. If u want to know more about Ipoh area good food, can check with me.
Ooo Chong wah.. Suggest suggest your favourite spots for coffee ice (my fav shop tutup), dry curry mee and any other interesting stuff!
Hi Olivia
Which was your fav?
Curry mee – https://www.rebeccasaw.com/in-search-of-ipoh-best-curry-mee-heres-seven-7-curry-mee-in-ipoh-that-you-can-try/
U can check out the comments for other recommendations 😀
And there is a new one at Kong Heng area – Restoran/coffeeshop Two Six that my fren told me quite ok the curry mee as well as the custard