When it comes to being a foodie’s haven, there’s really no beating Ipoh. Why else would scores of Singaporeans drive all the way up north just to eat good, cheap food? So many choices to choose from too, with white coffee, hor fun, dim sum and taufufa among others.
With so many restaurants and cafes, it is easy to be lost for choice. Plenty of online articles have already covered the best dim sum and Ipoh white coffee spots. That said, what about taufufa?
The best taufufa in Ipoh?
Image Credit: Muar Tan on Google Review (Left), Ron Teo on Google Review (Right)
The silky soy bean custard is a delight to enjoy at any time of the day. And unsurprisingly, Ipoh has some of the best taufufa you can find in the country. But where’s the best of the best? Some people say it’s at Funny Mountain, a little decades-old shop in the city.
Do you know how hard it is for an eatery to get over 2,000 reviews on Google? Yet, Funny Mountain has just that, and a pretty impressive 4.1 stars too! You’d think they are serving gold and caviar with their custards.
Taufufa shop with a drive-thru
Image Credit: Seeker Star on Google Review (Left), Abby Xiaofen on Google Review (Right)
So, what’s so special about this place? If you are planning to check it out, you might want to take a bus or a cab. Parking in this part of the city is limited and the road outside the shop itself is often packed with vehicles.
In fact, some of the motorists are there for the taufufa itself! It is unbelievable, but this taufufa shop has a drive-thru service. Motorists just stop by, bark out their orders, and receive them before driving off. Is this a fast food restaurant or what?
The story behind Funny Mountain
Image Credit: Ah Chuan on Google Review (Left), Ade Ardianta on Google Review (Right)
If people are willing to clog up the roads for taufufa, it must be the stuff of dreams. Either that or it has a story behind it. In a way, Funny Mountain does indeed have a story, having been operating since the 1950s.
The shop is currently in the steady hands of the founding family’s third generation. Apparently, the recipe for both the beancurd and the soy milk you can buy with it are of Cantonese origin. Specifically, the recipes were brought from the Guangdong province to Malaysia.
Good ingredients & hard work
And if you are wondering if the ingredients used are top-notch, the shopkeepers will assure you they are. Their soybeans are apparently imported from North America. On top of that, the taufufa and soy milk and freshly made every day, using trusted, old methods.
If you strike up a conversation with one of the more elderly shopkeepers, the old uncle will tell you that preparing the daily batch of taufufa and soy milk is hard work. The family gets up at 5 am daily to get to work! Up to 600 bowls are sold daily.
The RM3 taufufa
Image Credit: Angus Wong on Google Review (Left), Jenny Tan on Google Review (Right)
Enough with the backstory! How’s the taufufa? Soft, silky, bouncy. Not bad for a small bowl priced at RM3. The sugary syrup provided with the taufufa also has a distinct pandan taste, adding to the glorious mix of flavours already in the bowl.
If you still have room for drinks, maybe give Funny Mountain’s soy milk a try. It comes at RM3 per bottle and RM7.50 for large bottles. The soy milk is balanced taste-wise, having enough sweetness to go with the milk, but not overpoweringly so.
Worth your time?
While others may say that their favourite taufufa place is the best, there’s no denying Funny Mountain has its own share of fans. If you want to decide if you are one yourself, just hop over on foot or in your car and taste a bowl of the good stuff yourself.
Funny Mountain
Address: 50, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Opening Hours: 10.30 am – 7.30 pm daily | Closed on Tuesdays
Contact: 012-5161607
Halal Status: Pork-free
You should also check out: Aun Kheng Lim: Since 1987, this Ipoh landmark has been selling traditional salt-baked chicken
Feature Image Credit: Phillip on Google Review (Left), Ah Chuan on Google Review (Right)
