Ah Por Tofu Fa

1 Tai Wan San Tsuen, Lamma Island
Visited 1st July 2009
HK SAR Establishment Day meant a day off work and a chance to join the hordes swamping Lamma Island for a walk, swim and lunch. First step on our stroll was this rustic little stall situated on the trail before Yung Shing Yeh Beach. It's the perfect shady little spot for refreshment if you're exhausted by the strenuous 500m walk from Yung Shue Wan. Ah Por Tofu Fa means grandma's tofu pudding and Ching Po, the grandmother in question, has a big reputation for dishing up tasty grub. The setup itself is extremely basic with a simple trestle stall and a mismatch of old chairs thrown together under a big shady tree and shabbily erected tarpaulins.

The masses line up at Ah Por Tofu Fa for one dish; daufu fa or tofu pudding, which is kind of lucky as apart from homemade soy milk, they only sell one dish. The bowl we got was packed with soft, homemade tofu sitting in a sweet ginger sauce and sprinkled with sugar for crunch. Being virtually flavourless tofu is all about texture and seasoning and Grandma Ching's tofu ticked all the right boxes. It was extremely soft and silky, wobbling like Maina's beer gut; while the not too sweet sauce was balanced beautifully with just the right amount of ginger. Good stuff.

For many Hong Kongers a trip to Lamma Island is a big adventure and part of the adventure should be getting a serve of grandma's tofu pudding. The rustic setting and walk in access is a world away from all the shiny lights of Central. Grandma Ching does a great job of making a delicious version of this classic Hong Kong dessert and at only $6 a bowl it's an absolute bargain.