Shaoxing chou doufu (stinky tofu) is a fermented and then deep-fried tofu preparation with a penetrating smell that has made it one of the most famous street foods in China — famous, to be clear, for its smell rather than its apparent appeal, though the taste is milder than the aroma suggests. The tofu is brined in a fermented mixture for several days to develop the characteristic smell, then deep-fried until the exterior is crisp and the interior warm and soft, and served with chilli sauce and preserved vegetables.
The street vendors in the Lu Xun quarter and the lanes around Shen Garden sell Shaoxing stinky tofu as the quintessential local snack, and the experience of eating it — the exterior crunch, the mild fermented interior, the contrast with the spicy sauce — is typically more pleasant than the approach to the vendor suggests. Visitors who have tried and disliked stinky tofu in other forms should be aware that Shaoxing's version is considered definitive, and that the quality varies considerably between vendors. The vendors nearest the main tourist attractions tend to serve slightly better quality than the further ones.