福記臭豆腐

The origin of Taiwan's signature snack "stinky tofu" can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that a scholar from Anhui, Wang Zhihe, after failing the imperial examination, opened a tofu shop in Beijing. One day, in order to deal with excess tofu, he tried making fermented tofu, which turned a bluish-green color and emitted a strong foul odor. Initially thinking he had ruined it, he found upon tasting that it was unexpectedly delicious, and thus stinky tofu was born. Today, there is a shop in Kaohsiung that specializes in stinky tofu, and it’s worth trying this historic snack.

✅ Signature Tofu Roll: The outer layer is thin, crispy, and fragrant, while the filling combines stinky tofu and onions, providing a rich texture with a slight crunch, releasing a strong aroma of stinky tofu in the mouth. Paired with a side of spicy chili paste, the mild spiciness enhances the flavor profile, and a bit of Taiwanese pickled vegetables can make the dish less greasy.

✅ Crispy Stinky Tofu: A hole is poked in the middle of the tofu, drizzled with sauce, and garnished with chopped green onions and pickles. The texture is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a subtle hint of stinky tofu aroma, though overall it does not stand out much.

✅ Steamed Stinky Tofu: The savory braised sauce includes minced meat and plenty of garlic chives. The minced meat is tender and delicious, with a moderate saltiness that is not overly heavy, balanced well with the garlic chives and stinky tofu.

✅ Spicy Duck Blood Hot Pot: This includes tofu, duck blood, pork slices, soybean skin, enoki mushrooms, cabbage, and vermicelli. The spiciness of the broth can be adjusted to personal taste, and it also contains satay sauce. Overall, it tastes similar to regular hot pot.

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I visited to try it out because I saw many recommendations online, and the long queue at the location raised my expectations for the shop. However, after actually tasting the food, I felt there was a slight gap from what I had anticipated. For those who prefer "stinky" tofu, it might not have a strong enough odor, but if you simply enjoy tofu, the dishes here are still quite tasty. Among all the items, the most recommended is the "Signature Tofu Roll," as it is the closest to the flavor of "stinky" tofu!

*Minimum spending of NT$80 per person
*Hot pots do not come with white rice
*One pot does not provide bowls for more than two people, and there are no services for additional broth or ingredient swaps.