NYC's Oldest Family-Owned Tofu Shop | NYT Cooking
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ส.ค. 2024
- Meet Paul Eng. He’s the owner of Fong On, New York City’s oldest family-run tofu shop. Initially he spent years abroad exploring his artistic passions like photography and music. When he eventually returned to New York, he ended up taking over his family’s Chinatown shop, which they opened in 1933.
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Him being a punk musician on the side filled with tattoos is the most New Yorker thing ever. Kind of reminds me of late Anthony Bourdain.
I thought of Anthony Bourdain too!
Thought of Tony as well immediately.
I grew up eating all kinds of goods from Fong On as a kid. And when I became an adult with a career and office walkable to Chinatown, I still made my way back there for their goods. The quality was very consistent and was all very delicious. My heart broke when they had to close. They were very much a Chinatown staple. I am so happy Paul came back to open up the shop again! And so happy he was able to go back to the things he loved too. Win, win!
stopped by yesterday not knowing this video had gone up and I was so happy! - they were much more busy and sold out of more than usual so I think this video reached many new people and touched many hearts.
honestly i really like the perspective of this video. it's different from 99% of the other 2nd gen immigrant stories! It's really interesting seeing a story about children who don't really want to continue the family business. There's lots of stories of immigrant kids who's parents supported them with a restaurant/business but the kids went to school for other jobs and had no interest in contining the hard job of a business.
Paul mentioned about being not lucky in making money nor talented in making music......BUT he is very lucky to have such a wonderful family business tat he fell passionate later in life .... lurvvve this story
Children of immigrants' stories always have an underlying tone of sadness and nostalgia. He's such a strong guy who's gone through a lot.
Not really. Im one of them and im living the good life.
@@chinaboss6683 Plenty of children of immigrants are living a good life despite being deeply connected to their roots or family and affected by the transgenerational or intergenerational trauma. Two things can exist at once.
This is what makes NY special. Thank you for this video.
Love this story! Glad he got back into guitar and photography and doing what he loves
As Chinatown gets more and more gentrified/hipsterized these are the kinds of stories that need to be told and shared🙏🏽
"the older I get, the more I'm me" those are some words to live by 🥲
I grew up in Chinatown and my mom always bought the sweet white and yellow rice cakes and black jelly. I knew they closed the Mott St location, but didn't know that they reopened on Division St. I'm going to stop by this place when I'm in Chinatown.
As a Taiwanese, I'm honored that our chaotic food culture could help Mr Eng's tofus evolve.
The dessert tofu pudding with toppings looks so good!
Hello ban thich an pho khong?
As a vegan I eat tofu and soy milk almost on a daily basis. Wish this place was closer to where I live😩 I also found it very cool that he is still rocking out🤟🏼
I eat tofu and soy milk at least once a month. Tofu soup, fried tofu, braised tofu, steamed tofu, it’s all so good.
When u visit NYC❤
@@DemonFox369 whats your go to braised tofu recipes?
Im sure it tastes good but soy was never meant to be consumed by humans. I hope more places start making the switches to pea protein and mushroom protein as its just as delicious when done right and not toxic.
@@cIeetz can you go into depth about this more pls? Interesting to hear
Grew up in Chinatown going to Fong On since as early as I can remember. The place is an institution. White sugar cakes and the herbal grass jelly were my favorite treats 👌
Y'all HAVE to try freshly made tofu and soy milk (especially the hot ones). It does not taste the same as store bought, commercially, mass made ones at all.
Completely different!!! Fresh soy milk is AMAZING
As someone whose love was photography and was talked out of it by others, and did photography classes at FIT. This touched my heart personally. I'm glad he found his path and he's doing things on his own terms. I will be sure to check this place out one day!
This is such a staple in our neighborhood lower East side forever.
Respect to this man
This NYer will absolutely be stopping by!
I respect small business like this.
Love everything we got from Fong On. Getting a square of warm tofu home is just so comforting.
I relate 110% as someone making a living in NYC. It's hard and full of twists and turns, but in the end it really pays off.
Wow, tofu and steamed rice cakes “đậu hũ và bánh bò.” ❤😊
I LOVE FONG ON!!
"The recipe had to live up to, at least, my memory."
very calm guy and nice story with no exaggerations, sugar coating and just realistic, probably best one yet
i love this place - glad to shine a spotlight on such a great spot in the community
Haters : tofu sucks
Tofu : LOL I’m so versatile dude
Haters: Tofu sucks!
Translation: I don't know how to cook
I know this family, very good people, and very delicious tofu and rice pudding
What I like is there's no pretentious BS coming out of this guy. Tofu is humble peasant food and shouldn't be over complicated
Rock N Roll 🎸🎸🎸& Tofu. Both Great... KEEP ROCKING! .🎸🎸🎸
This is great. I would love to see more "cooking" content like this!
Fantastic production, direction and tofu
Great story and video! Please have more of these !!
What a great story
Great family and Paul's wife Marina is beautiful in and out!
Great tofu products! Delicious 👍
Рисовый пудинг 👍
this man is so COOL
Good on you keep on. Keeping on
beautiful and moving
Best Soymilk :) grab a Dozen and share with people you know - get a unsweetened one to mix if too sweet for you.Try the tofu blocks for cooking at home,Tofu pudding with your toppings of choice for a snack or meal.Give the Grass Jelly a try with syrup. Excellent team running this local business.
Okay, this story is JUST AWESOME ❤
Tofu should be something you can eat and enjoy on its own. You CAN add sauces and toppings but it shouldn't NEED them. Tofu in western countries are so bitter that you could never imagine eating it on its own. It's bitter because westerners consider tofu as merely being a meat subsitute and for tofu to resemble meat in firmness, you have to add more minerals that make the soy milk curdle which at the same time increases the bitter. taste. For tofu to taste good, you have to give up the idea of meat vs. soy.
I fully agree! Tofu is best when respected for what it is, and it's easiest to appreciate it when eating it freshly made. The ones in stores here that are packaged do not compare to the fresh ones made in some small restaurants I am lucky to live close to. Tofu shines when it is celebrated for its own unique flavour and texture, such as in dishes like soondubu!
Yup. In Chinese cooking, tofu is often cooked with meat and soaks up the fat to make it delicious. It makes a little bit of meat go a long way, and is a good source of protein.
best tofu desserts in the city
fresh made tofu is the best! Remember when I was kid, we have freshly made tofu place in every local farmer's market. Also, the soy bean grinds are a great source of compost!!
Excellent story and I’d understand well friend. Photography is my passion as well
I hope Fong On stays around, maybe even expands.
this guy is a rock-star!
Love this story! Thank you for putting his story out; I’m definitely going to check this place out :)
Awesome story 👏
Great story thanks
Bro this story is so awesome! I really want to try their food one day!
truly an amazing video
this was awesome
Great story 👍
Ooooh ❤❤ I wasnt expecting to be this excited about tofu but here I am xD
A long and winding road to become a tofu king.
Thank you for these videos. Along with the pizza place profiled previously, Fong On is now on my places to visit list when I am next in New York. I wonder if they sell the soy pulp. It’s nutritious and great to cook with.
What are some of your favorite recipes for soy pulp? Looking for some ideas. Thanks
@@dianel.9703 I often add it to meatballs and meatloaf instead of breadcrumbs. Sometimes I use it instead of mashed potatoes when making croquettes. It’s also nice to use in baked goods like muffins and cakes and cookies. In Japanese, soy pulp is called okara so if you do an internet search for okara recipes, you’ll find lots of them. Happy cooking!
What else is on your list? 😃 I’m looking for ideas for my next trip too!
shoutout to NYT for featuring NYC Chinatown shops
Fascinating
Thank you, I needed this.
Wish I knew about this place when I lived in NYC! everything looks so delicious
So cool!!
Love the no need to narrate what you’re already doing! Great video 🎉
I love this video, i love this story. Im so glad Paul told us his story. Life takes you all kinds of different roads. Wpuld love to try the tofu pudding ❤
Holy shit...the legs on that baktong goh...
I would love to buy tofu from a local place like this
So good!!!
awesome!!!
Love tofu 🙌🏻
THIS IS SO GOOD
What a story!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I feel like there's still a difference from what it was 10 years ago. The tofu was much silkier back then.
not bad on that pretenders kid solo @8:01
I thought i was seeing New York tofu, then i saw 豆花 from Taiwan, where i live. So shocked.
I went to HS with his son who drove and 86.
Now I’m hungry
@7:14, this guy looks like old Tim Robbins......With the beard......
Ur brown sugar rice cake was the best from time at Mott St.
Does he also do tofu deliveries preferably with a Toyota Trueno?
All your missing is a delivery driver than can drift at night .
you find many stores like this in china, nothing particular for me who have seen this alot
Thank GOD you had a solid family to fall back on to move forward with your new Russian bride you found abroad.
두부는 훌륭한 음식이지. 쟤네들한테 한국 콩국수나 초당순두부, 순두부짬뽕같은 다양한 바리에이션의 음식 맛보여주고 싶다
Love Tempe !
serius nanya
ada yg komen diatas tahu di us itu rasanya pahit krn ditambahi byk mineral dlm rangka tahu sebagai pengganti daging
apakah petani kedelai di us membedakan antara tanaman kedelai utk konsumsi ternak dan manusia?
I liked hearing his story, but I wish they would've spent some time on the tofu and toppings. They kind of just glossed over it.
Mr. Miyagi bout to drop that mixtape
I wanna do music full time, but the fear of not ever be able to have any money just makes me sad. And worrisome.
What an amazing story! Does anyone know what song is he rocking to in 1:23?
Found it! th-cam.com/video/pLiSWFqmYeo/w-d-xo.html
Just curious, who’s is doing the delivery?
宏安點解音譯做FONG ON?
What's the name of the rock song at the end of the video?
i like tofu
What’s tofu taste like ?
Woah! Kinda bug bro👌🏾
Bunta in another universe:
Kid by The Pretenders 🤗
I HOPE they did not put any calcium or vitamin pills in it.
Soy gang