Replicas are the greatest form of flattery or one's way of celebrating the success of another - from accessories to apparel to even food. And for food, usually it is hard to even trace down to the origin or even the one who found fame over time. Who ever remembers the first bubble tea brand that caused all the insane following? Or the now defunct Rotiboy that once enjoyed its five seconds of fame. Now, it is soyabean pudding which Laoban made famous and has had several spinoffs.
Most would have known by now that soybean pudding does leave a slight waxy aftertaste and a tingling sensation on the tongue when consumed. I reckon it’s the chemicals at work that make it more addictive than normal tau huay. Some have identified it as calcined gypsum powder used in plastering walls. So this post has been risky, I ate at my own risk and lived to tell the tale (hopefully stay alive long enough!).
Competition heats up at Old Airport Road with numerous competitors wanting the same share of the same tub of pudding, likewise beyond Old Airport Road even. I wonder when this bubble will pop.
Soyabean Pudding, $1.80
Mr Bean, Raffles Place MRT
A stickier form of beancurd, this sticks to the spoon, sticks to the rest of the pudding...consistency is queer. Dissolve it does into a thicker than usual soyabean semi-solid form. Stiffer than chawanmushi, heavier than laoban...there was a certain sweet aftertaste that I
Loads of tiny bubbles inside but strangely did not affect the texture of the pudding.
Far from a laoban but a different take on tau huay. This has since been discontinued and replaced with another version.
Sharing the second spot with 51, Bean is close. So close. Right down to the price match - $1.50 for original.
Happy Boy Bean
51 Old Airport Rd #01-109
Texture was queer - thick, almost paint-like. The milk powder was too strong here, like a soyabean curd dessert over fermented and gone so wrong. Possibly the furthest from Laoban. Even with the current promotion of 1-for-1 ($2 each), bringing it to a dollar per tub, does not entice me further for seconds.
Food Lingo
Albert Center Food Market
Instead of going fruity, they have included Black sesame and Green Tea in their repertoire of flavours. Always play it safe with original ($1.50).
Seemed watered down with a powder milk aftertaste. Not the worst, neither the best. This mediocrity continues.
Tons have been opened and the trail continues!
Most would have known by now that soybean pudding does leave a slight waxy aftertaste and a tingling sensation on the tongue when consumed. I reckon it’s the chemicals at work that make it more addictive than normal tau huay. Some have identified it as calcined gypsum powder used in plastering walls. So this post has been risky, I ate at my own risk and lived to tell the tale (hopefully stay alive long enough!).
Competition heats up at Old Airport Road with numerous competitors wanting the same share of the same tub of pudding, likewise beyond Old Airport Road even. I wonder when this bubble will pop.
Soyabean Pudding, $1.80
Mr Bean, Raffles Place MRT
A stickier form of beancurd, this sticks to the spoon, sticks to the rest of the pudding...consistency is queer. Dissolve it does into a thicker than usual soyabean semi-solid form. Stiffer than chawanmushi, heavier than laoban...there was a certain sweet aftertaste that I
Loads of tiny bubbles inside but strangely did not affect the texture of the pudding.
Far from a laoban but a different take on tau huay. This has since been discontinued and replaced with another version.
69 Beancurd
51 Old Airport Rd
51 Old Airport Rd
The least deserving of the lot in the category of
soybean pudding despite being the cheapest and promising that no
calcined gypsum powder is used. Massively watered down and light, this
did not taste like soyabean pudding even with flavours
like mango and almond. The texture was closer to almond jelly than
pudding.
51
51 Old Airport Rd
51 Old Airport Rd
Has to be the closest to Lao Ban’s together with
Bean. Lao ban has taken the liberty to leaving the beancurd to ferment
for the hardened layer whereas 51 is what Lao Ban used to be. Silken and
soft, a tough fight here.
Bean
Maxwell Market
Happy Boy Bean
51 Old Airport Rd #01-109
Texture was queer - thick, almost paint-like. The milk powder was too strong here, like a soyabean curd dessert over fermented and gone so wrong. Possibly the furthest from Laoban. Even with the current promotion of 1-for-1 ($2 each), bringing it to a dollar per tub, does not entice me further for seconds.
Food Lingo
Albert Center Food Market
Instead of going fruity, they have included Black sesame and Green Tea in their repertoire of flavours. Always play it safe with original ($1.50).
Seemed watered down with a powder milk aftertaste. Not the worst, neither the best. This mediocrity continues.
Tons have been opened and the trail continues!
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