Tofu pudding is a familiar snack for Hanoians. It is not too difficult to find shops selling tofu pudding on the streets of Hanoi, the price is quite affordable from 15,000 - 30,000 VND.
Traditional tofu pudding only has a little sugar water scented with grapefruit or jasmine. Some toppings such as lotus seeds, longan, black jelly, jelly with cherries, pandan jelly, tapioca pearls... add to the appeal of this snack.
A familiar address for foodies in Hanoi is the tofu shop on Hang Da Street. During peak hours, customers line up to buy tofu. Waiting in line with locals at the shop on an evening in late October, Ms. Joey - an Australian tourist, said she often looks for restaurants with traditional flavors before traveling to a country and this time she chose tofu.
"Tofu pudding in Vietnam is very delicious, not too sweet and refreshing. However, in Vietnam, I find tofu pudding more unique with many accompanying ingredients, especially caramel - the most special thing in this dish. The bitter coffee flavor with the sweet and fatty cake layer made me extremely impressed", Ms. Joey excitedly shared after enjoying tofu pudding in Vietnam.
American tourists Andrew Davis and his wife saw many people lining up in front of a tofu shop on Hang Da Street, so they were curious and tried it.
"At first, my wife and I didn't know what this dish was or how to eat it until the owner showed us how to put ice in a bowl of tofu and mix it up. I think this is a suitable dessert that international tourists like me should try at least once when coming to Vietnam," said Andrew Davis.
Some suggested addresses for diners who want to try tofu in Hanoi are Jelly Bean Tofu, King of Tofu, Ms. Hue's tofu on Ly Thuong Kiet Street, jelly tofu on the sidewalk of Nguyen Ngoc Vu Street (Cau Giay District), pandan tofu on Pham Hong Thai Street...
