Mapo Restaurant

Once upon a time in China, over a century ago, the land was under the iron fist ruling of Emperor Tong Zhi of the Qing Dynasty. In Chengdu, a small town within northern Sichuan Province, an older couple struggled to keep their small family diner afloat under heavy taxation. Their little diner served local laborers and workmen who pass through the town and the old dame did all the cooking. Since the old dame had freckles on her face, she was fondly referred to as 'Mapo'. Her cooking, though simple as her patrons, had a unique combination of flavor and texture, especially her tofu dish, spicy yet smooth, resilient in texture yet juicy and tender. Over time, the fame of her tofu dish transcended the geographic boundary of Chengdu and far beyond the circle of working class patrons. The Tofu dish in the obscure diner became a major attraction to all people alike. Her tofu became a legend of the nation, and is today known as Mapo tofu.