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Stinky tofu is no longer on the menu at Golden Leaf restaurant in San Gabriel, Los Angeles, after the city received complaints about the dish\u2019s aroma. But the family behind the restaurant is fighting to bring back the street food, which is popular in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and prized for its distinct, potent stench.<\/p>\n
The dish is \u201ca cherished taste of home and a source of cultural pride,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Several restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley offer the dish, with most deep-frying squares of the tofu, resulting in a crisp exterior and a porous, spongelike centre. The flavour and smell can range from mild to eye-wateringly stinky, like an extra-funky blue cheese or excellent kimchi.<\/p>\n
For three years, it was the signature dish at Golden Leaf, until a neighbour decided they did not like the smell. In the autumn of 2017, the neighbour, who lives in one of the properties north of the restaurant, began calling.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said she could smell the stinky tofu, but we and other customers couldn\u2019t smell it,\u201d says Liao, whose parents opened Golden Leaf in 2014.<\/p>\n
The neighbour did not live in the home directly behind their business, Liao says. \u201cWe know that customer, and he comes in and he\u2019s never brought it to our attention.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n