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2008-12-24
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If 人和 is a person, I'd be damned not to fall in love with her. She has a good name -- 'harmony among people' is exactly what the world needs; She is commited to a kind of simplicity with certain level of contention that's often mistakened as lack of ambition, or 'conservative'. Those critiques come from those who have viewed it from the outside. Those who frequent there may think otherwise, here's what I think.I frequent 人和, this one in particular. In the midst of market traffic there is always
I frequent 人和, this one in particular. In the midst of market traffic there is always a tofu joint somewhere lurking. This one is right by the busy bus station. Stepping into the store there is the rather homely decor -- plain tiles for the floor and wall, wooden booths, plastic chairs, wooden tables. Nothing fancy at all. The food is mostly soya bean based, if you count sweets like Adzuki bean sweet soup or its Mung Bean kin. Soya Milk ($6) is a classic here. Presented in a transparent glass, the cold version is often chilled thoroughly. It's a wonder that no matter how much they sell, the soy milk often comes out so chilled without freezing the lips and tongue. Certainly works out for summery months. On colder days like these few days, a warm glass of soy milk tastes surprisingly the same, with that light sweetness and a thicker consistency when you compare other big joints.
Tofu Dessert ($10) is my summer favorite. Always served hot for me, the dessert is served by skimming "slices" of sweet and lightly coagulated tofu into a bowl, drizzling a little bit of syrup into it. We can then feel free to add powdered red sugar to taste. I have always loved that sprinkle of sugar for the contrast between a very soft velvety smoothness from the tofu against the gritty crystals of sugar rubbing against each other. Sweetness is not the key here, the enjoyment of textures preceeds it all. A Ginger-Tofu Dessert ($12) is a recent discovery of mine. This one will work wonders if you need a quick warm-up. Tofu is made the same way, but instead of a plain syrup, a homemade ginger-infused syrup is added. The ginger syrup has the red sugar added into it, and come off an amber hue to it. Personal preference drives my extra addition of a little more sugar. The ginger in the syrup offers sharpness to the palate, and as you swallow, you will feel a rush of heat erupting from the back of the throat up to your tongue and your nose, until your whole being has a lively sensation of heat coursing through. By the time you finish you should have no problem walking out against the blazing wind.
For snacks you can have congee or fried noodles, but bestsellers are the Fried Tofu ($10). There are 4 slices of 1-inch thick tofu, lightly smeared with minced fish, and fried until a golden brown crust is formed. My advice to you is to hold for 2 minutes before you take a juicy bite in, as the inside can be really hot. Marinated Tofu ($10) is not as appetizing as it taste. The marinade is a thinner version of 5-spice and other spices. It's not a strength in 人和, and I intend to stick with fried tofu instead. Those who slammed over conservative menu choices should really open their eyes and take a look. There are some rather unconventional variations of the Tofu desserts, including one flavored with cocoa and one with coconut milk added in it. They are not top sellers like the plain/ ginger versions, but they're worth the try. The chocolate one, by personal experience, tasted very much like chocolate milk but not as rich as the dairy form.
There is a reason why 人和 can open so many branches (and franchises). This Wan Chai branch marked the 21st branch all over the city. While the world is drooling over the complexities of composed desserts (not to say composed desserts are not good), it's crucial that we embrace simplicity once in a while. Sit down in one of these joints and embrace what comes as naturally simple, with no attempt to contrive a sense of gastronomic climax by catching current food trends or mix-matching unlikely flavours. It's never too late to fall in love with Tofu all over again!
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