公和荳品廠 - Kung Wo Tofu Company

Take a walk around Sham Shui Po district and you'll get a sense of a financially poor, but bustling and lively side of Hong Kong that's managed to keep a vintage feel to some of its spaces. Hong Kong's obsession with the new and the ultra-modern are relatively ignored here, as tons of small businesses selling anything old from big bulky cell phones from the nineties to record turntables and other now-ancient electronics all open up shop on Ap Liu Street (鴨寮街) and surrounding area.


And here in Sham Shui Po you can find some famous old food spots, like this one: the Kung Wo Tofu Company (公和荳品廠 Guhngwoh DauhBan Chong). Founded more than a century ago in 1893, it's one of the oldest companies in Hong Kong, so the experience here is a slice of retro Hong Kong - a hole in the wall where they make their famous tofu treats at the front of the shop, from flour to finish, convenient especially to those who don't have great Chinese, you can just point to whatever you fancy.


And that's what I did, trying this one first:

These blocks of tofu are topped with a flavorful layer of minced fish, pan-fried to a tasty gold. There's no fishy taste since fish is always fresh in Hong Kong; and because they fry it, the most prominent taste you'll savor in your mouth is nothing but plain and golden juicy meat, paired with a complimentary base of the smoothness of tofu.

After you've tried out these deep-fried pops of tofu, enjoy this wonderful 豆腐花 dauhfuh fa:


Literally translated Tofu Flower, Kung Wo's version might just be the best in Hong Kong. Silky smooth, sweetened to subtle perfection, it seems to simply melt in warm goodness in your mouth, and slide satisfyingly into your stomach. A nice sweet way to top your Kung Wo experience.

While you won't get much variety and fan-fare here at Kung Wo, it does give you a very pleasant vintage Hong Kong experience, and maybe the best tofu concoctions in all of Hong Kong - a great place to stop by for travelers who want to get a sense of old delights, or anyone looking simply to satisfy a tofu craving.

深水埗北河街 118號
118 Pei Ho St, Sham Shui Po
MTR station: Sham Shui Po