This is Uncle Joe’s authentic version of the culture-establishing dish in Sichuan cuisine. This most famous dish in Chinese cooking is truly named in the Chinese language as “Pock Faced Old Woman’s Tofu”, a name that is both irreverent and politically incorrect in English. Its legendary status mandates that it be included in Uncle Joe’s menu; even though it means that Uncle Joe’s must give the dish an edgy new name that is hopefully more politically acceptable. After all, what respectable customer not familiar with the Chinese language will order a dish as unfamiliar as the authentically named “Ma Po tofu”.

The “wife” referred to in its new name is a true person, a Mrs. Chen, who invented the recipe in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, in the 1860s. She was the elderly and truly pock-faced wife of Mr. Chen, a small restaurant owner, in that city during the latter years of the Qing Dynasty. This new dish invented by his notoriously unattractive wife and served in this restaurant became an instant hit and spread rapidly throughout China. And this story is not a joke; it is truly well documented. It is unclear whether the dish’s popularity was due to its exquisite taste or due to the shocking facial features of its inventor. Ever since the late part of the nineteenth century, this legendary (Pock-Faced Old Woman’s Tofu) has challenged and stimulated chefs all over China. In a recent documentary on Sichuan cooking broadcasted widely on Chinese television, Chinese chefs overwhelmingly claimed that this dish offers the biggest challenge and is most difficult to make well. Uncle Joe’s is proud to present our proprietary version that we believe is both authentic and best suited for the North American palate.

In fact, this dish is so classical in Sichuan cooking that anyone who can learn to appreciate it can anoint oneself as a true connoisseur of Sichuan cuisine.

HAPPY HAPPY HOUR

At Uncle Joe’s, our usual pricing is designed to be consistent with the customary “fast and casual” category of dining. We aim to serve the highest caliber of authentic Hong Kong style foods at the lowest possible prices. People that cook at home may find that they can hardly prepare great dishes themselves at a cost much lower than they can dine at Uncle Joe’s. Therefore, customers essentially enjoy “happy hour” at Uncle Joe’s all day long.

However, Uncle Joe’s is determined to give our customers a more favorable experience between 2 and 6pm and after 9pm with our “Happy Happy Hour”. During these times, we will feature our menu items in a special snack or “small dish” version that is not only even more favorably priced but also ideally suited to go with special deals on wines, cocktails or special coffees and teas.

The word “Szechuan” food is embedded in the English language in association with Chinese cuisine, especially with spicy dishes. However, the proper reference to this unique Chinese province noted for its legendary spicy foods is actually “Sichuan” ever since the establishment of the modern system of “ping yin” (the pronunciation of Chinese words using the English alphabet) under the government of the Peoples’ Republic of China.

Not only does the English word for this notorious Chinese province needs new recognition, but also the meaning of authentic Sichuan spiciness requires a new understanding. The spicy side of Uncle Joe’s menu does precisely that. There are many varieties of spicy foods around the world, but the spicy taste of Sichuan cuisine has its unique distinguishing qualities. In addition to a variety of hot peppers is a special peppercorn that is not “hot” per se but rather “numbing” — its ingestion leaves a numbing sensation on the tongue and around the lips. It may be strange to the uninitiated, but it is mandatory for the connoisseur of Sichuan cuisine. Without this, the dish is just frankly not “Sichuan”. It is this quintessential hallmark of Sichuan spiciness that defines the most famous spicy cuisine worldwide.

When Uncle Joe’s menu specifies that the taste is “Sichuan”, we pledge that we believe this taste is truly authentic by Chinese standards.