Soya Express – Sweet and Sour Tofu Worth Finding
This was my first foodie café / restaurant visit in Sheffield.
I wanted to go here because it seemed like a good place to just chill after a long, tiring train journey. It’s not very far from the train station, although it is quite hilly, so maybe getting a bus isn’t the worst idea. Sheffield does like to remind your legs they exist.
I especially wanted to try their homemade soy milk, which sounded interesting.
It wasn’t really that busy when I went, but it was around 4pm, so probably not the busiest time of day anyway. It’s not a vegan restaurant, but they do have a number of vegan options.
I went for the sweet and sour tofu, because I was genuinely craving tofu that day. I never thought I’d get to the point where I’d crave tofu, but apparently this is who I am now.
I wasn’t expecting loads from this place, mainly because it’s cheap, and my experience with cheap Chinese food hasn’t always been great, if I’m honest.
But this was a lovely surprise when it arrived.
The sauce was a proper thick red sweet and sour sauce — no weird watery sauce going on here. It looked exactly how I wanted it to look, which immediately made me more hopeful.
And thankfully, it tasted good too.
The tofu was cooked really well — crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside. My mood honestly changed while eating it. I went from tired and slouchy to much happier with each bite, which is probably the power of good tofu. Strange sentence, but true.
The sweet and sour sauce wasn’t overly sweet either, which I appreciated. Sometimes sweet and sour can go too far and become a bit sickly, but this one had a nice balance.
The homemade soy milk was sweet and creamy, and it was just what I needed after travelling.
Value-wise, Soya Express is a great place to go. There isn’t loads of service as such — it’s more the kind of place where they put the food on the table and you eat.
Which, to be honest, is my perfect kind of vibe.
This was definitely a good welcome to the Sheffield food scene for me.