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 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.
So it looks like I’ll have to attempt to do so on my next Ipoh visit. Meanwhile I have here 4 different taufufa 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 taufufa? 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 taufufa.
The menu offers novel variants such as chendol version of taufufa 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 taufufa, 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 taufufa (beancurd) 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 has strong soybean essence, it was overly sweet for us.
Unfortunately they are all pre-bottled so there wasn’t an option for lower sugar one.
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4. Last to make the list was a “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 taufufa 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 fix.
Joanna who is a Ipoh-native girl said her favourite tau fu fa 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 tau fu fa. 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 days off in a month but the 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: http://www.rebeccasaw.com/lou-yao-kei-tau-tu-fa-bercham-perak/
So that’s my list for now. I hope you will find it useful for your Ipoh trip!
PS: Anyone has more recommendations for taufufa 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?