Funny Mountain Soya Beancurd may be a small shop, but it has a big reputation as one of the go-to places for tourists to try tau fu fah in the city.
But what do we as locals think of it? We have been here a few times and have also tried other local tau fu fah to know a thing or two.
So, here are our thoughts on this particular stall that every tourists seems to know about!
Location
The stall is on a corner lot at 50, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, Taman Jubilee in Ipoh. It is walking distance from Gerbang Malam (a night market in Ipoh), Octagon and Guan Heong Biscuit Shop.
On weekends and public holidays, there is usually a long line of people outside the shop.
If you happen to be there on a Tuesday when they are closed, you can get Ipoh tau fu fah from other nearby locations.
Drive-By Service
Even if you can’t get parking nearby, you can try their very efficient drive-through experience! Just mind that you are considerate and not in the way of other cars that just want to pass by.
You can order tau fu fah in takeaway containers or bottles of white or black soya bean milk to go. The soya bean milk is already chilled too.
Ambiance
Even though it is not a roadside stall (we say this because there are several roadside stalls selling tau fu fah in Ipoh), the shop space is very small and only big enough for the staff to prepare drinks and tau fu fah.
Sometimes, they put out antique Kungfu benches for “dine-in” customers and serve their tau fu fah in traditional Chinese ceramic dessert bowls too.
Depending on which day you visit, the seats may be stored away and the tau fu fah served in thin plastic takeaway containers instead of ceramic bowls. At least, this was the case when we visited on a weekday afternoon.
Note: There is a dedicated bin beside the shop that the servers will point out to customers.
Service
Since there are at least 2 people manning the shop, service is brisk and they are very experienced in handling long queues of tourists.
On weekends and public holidays, the infamous queue can start as early as 10:30am when the shop opens.
But the numbering system they have in addition to the drive-through service means the queue goes quickly. We did not have to wait longer than a minute to get our bowls but then again, we didn’t go on a weekend.
Food
For all the times we have been here, the taste and consistency of the tau fu fah is consistent. It’s smooth and silky although we find that it tastes a little sweet.
There is a ginger variation as well, but the flavor is light.
Note: The tau fu fah is served warm.
On another note, the soybean milk has a pleasant and thick consistency and doesn’t have a strong bean aftertaste which is great in our point of view. There are people who prefer a stronger soybean flavor though.
That said, we do find the soybean milk to be too sweet, much like the tau fu fah. To remedy this, we usually take it back home and add some cold water to lessen the sweetness.
Pricing
A bowl of regular tau fu fah here is expensive given the small portions. A large bottle of soya bean milk can cost close to RM8.
These prices are above average compared to roadside stalls, some localnight markets and also, less touristy areas of Ipoh, but it’s to be expected with their strong reputation among tourists.
Conclusion
Is the tau fu fah at Funny Mountain Soya Beancurd the most amazing tau fu fah you can get in Ipoh? In our humble opinion, that honor belongs to Woong Kee Beancurd.
But even though it’s not particularly remarkable, the tau fu fah is still good and meets Ipoh standards of smooth tau fu fah.
Tau Fu Fah Eateries We Recommend
Tourists (with a sweet tooth) who’ve never tried tau fu fah before will find this traditional dessert an interesting treat. And Funny Mountain is not the only one in town that serves this!
Ipoh Food To Try
Tau fu fah is only one of many dishes you should try while you’re in Ipoh. Technically, it’s a dessert but we treat it like a snack. It is typically eaten at any time of the day too.
