TAHOOO!

OONGA! Mayron na yung taho bar nasa Cartimar! My friend M, who wrote this brilliant guide to Cartimar, took me on a special expedition one morning and welcome me into Manila’s greatest secret, a taho bar located at Tiong-Hwa. You guys, it was amazing .

What is it and why do you like it so much?

If you’re not Filipino you may be asking yourself, “What is taho and why do you love it so much?” Well first things first, taho is a silkened tofu that is served warm (or cold) with brown sugar syrup and topped graciously with tapioca pearls. You can read the wikipedia definition right here if you want to get technical. Great, now that we have that covered, on to part two, “Why do you love it so much?” Full transparency, it literally took me 6 years to enjoy taho. I first tried eating it when we lived in Makati six years ago. The magtaho would come around the park and sell it for cheap. Aaker and I always wanted to like it because it was such an integral part of mornings but unfortunately, we never enjoyed it. Eventually after years of trying it, something clicked and now I cannot get enough. I even keep a collapsable cup in my backpack so I’m prepared for magtaho. Oh, I also made a magtaho Halloween costume one year as well, that was so fun!

Tiong-Hwa’s Taho Bar

Moving along, here are the glorious details fo the Manila’s hidden street food, Tiong-Hwa’s Taho Bar.

Step 1: Pick your base: hot or cold.

Taho is 65 php for the base layer and is a generous serving.

Step 2: Pick your toppings.

Toppings are 25 php each: Barley, kidney bean, tapioca pearls, brown sugar pearls, sweet bean, molasses syrup.

Step 3: Eat Up.

A large servings is perfect sharing, especially because the toppings and base add up quickly.

Step 4: Get an extra order for take out.

If you plan to take away I suggest bringing your own tupperware as so much plastic is used!

Cue in line and get ready to eat the best taho of your life.

I have no idea what kind of tofu this is but it is tofu. Do you know? Please share in the comments.

Tiong-Hwa isn’t really a secret as it does get quite busy. Get comfortable, get cozy and dig in!

Don’t forget to stock up on: Tofu, Soy Milk, Pineapple, Cake, Dumpling, Mantau and Onion Pancake galore!

There were all kinds of pineapple cakes that looked just like what I made and ate in Taipei last year. LEGIT!

I picked up spinach dumpling and pork & cabbage dumpling. Please notice the writing in the newspaper!

Manila, you are a dream! I feel most alive when I am walking a narrow path through a barangay or exploring a bustling wet market. I hope you find something that challenges you and widens your world view and helps you see Manila in a new light.