I dropped by this place once a long long time ago (2010) and somehow or other, I never went back again until one other time when we had some dim sum there (2012) but did not think it was worth a second round. But we’ve dropped by a few times lately because we love the steamed paos (buns) here…
Well, it so happened that sometime last week, I was up and about at 6 something in the morning as I had offered to pick up my friend, Philip, to go and buy some kompia and then send him to the airport for his flight to KL, in transit back to the US. Having done that, I decided I would stop by here on the way home as I had not had any breakfast and I felt like having some of those buns…
…but unfortunately, the young chap said that they were all sold out – at 7 something in the morning!
Ah well!!! Since I was already there, I thought I would just check out the place to see if there was anything nice that I could have. The Malay stall was open but all the rest were closed including this one…
…but this one in front by the side to the right of the coffee shop was open too…
…and I decided to try this (RM3.50)…
…which the guy said were noodles that he made himself…
…and I could have a choice of either white or black. Of course, I chose the white. The noodles were very firm, chewy and springy – nothing like our usual kampua noodles but I felt it would be much nicer if the oil used to toss them in had been stronger as far as the fragrance of lard and fried shallots was concerned. As it was, it came across rather mild/bland but with the chili sauce, I thought it was all right.
Then I spotted the pao guy serving one to a customer at another table so I asked him in Mandarin and he said there were only the char siew ones (RM1.80)…
…and without any second thought, I decided to have one…
…and yes, it was very good indeed.
After I had finished that, I went into the shop as I wanted to buy some home but the guy said there weren’t any more (except for a few tau sar or red bean paste ones) and that was what he said in the first place and I just ate one!!! I really wondered how the paos suddenly miraculously appeared out of nowhere. Tsk! Tsk!
Then I spotted four BIG ones (RM2.50)…
…in one of the bamboo steamers with a green dot on top of each of them so I asked him what they were and he said something like lor with egg so I assumed those must have stewed pork filling and I bought all of them home.
When I ate one at home, it turned out that it had minced meat filling…
…with a bit of egg. Maybe the guy said rou pao (meat bun) and I had misunderstood him, I wouldn’t know. It was very nice as well but I think I would much rather pay 60 sen less and settle for the char siew ones.
On my way home, I managed to snap this photograph of this new outlet of our very own Sarawak fast food franchise…
…located at the end of Pahlawan Road, right beside the traffic lights at its t-junction with Oya Road. This big place is actually a drive thru’ restaurant but one can dine in, should one choose to do so, and from the banner, it appears that it has a special place for kids to play and have fun. I hear they do not have the spin-off, the Red Carrot, there though – I would very much prefer that as there are more to choose from and I do like some of what they have on their regular menu.
I went on my way and drove home happily after having had my fill…which was more than enough to last through lunch so I decided to just skip it that day, believe you me! Hehehehehehe!!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
What a fascinating place!
It is?
sold out initially at 7-something?! gosh, there are a lot of hungry early birds out there, heh! 😀
Indeed! Maybe mums drop by to buy for their kids to bring to school? School starts at 7 here. Or maybe they supply to shops all over to sell?
Sold out early morning? I don’t believe it.. Maybe they don’t have so many to sell that day and say sold out, sounds nicer, hehe.. Ahhh char siew pao and sang yok pao.. Both my favourites! I like the fatty pork and egg in the sang yok pao..
I love steamed paos, meat..,any type. My girl likes the char siew ones only. None to tapao for her that day. 😦
There’s something special about home made foods. For some reason they seem to taste better than commercially made products. Did you taste a difference in the noodles?
There is. Very different in the texture and a little bit too in the taste, though I would not say it is better than (most/some of) the rest – just different – like how yee mee and wanton noodles are different from each other, perhaps.
I like pao, being it char siew or minced meat and the noodles looks like mee pok.
Different – the texture’s not the same…closer to pan mee.
I didn’t know Lau Sa Pau’s english name is Planta? LOL
It’s Greek to me so I do not have a clue…
Business must be good! 7 early 8 early, all paus are sold out!!
I prefer char siew pau anytime than meat pau.
My girl’s like you – only char siew, would not even touch the rest. 😦
Strange pao guy, doesn’t wanna do business or what? Or maybe you misunderstood what he said?
Dunno, not possibly. He even told me to come back in the afternoon. It seems that they make their second batch for the day in the afternoon around 2.00 p.m. I could understand that, loud and clear.
Those big pau are really famous over here in KL and I also used to have them when I was growing up. Nowadays they just seem too big for me. LOL!
Small eater, eh? Not for me, the bigger the better. In fact, I think they’ve grown smaller…or maybe that’s all in my head. Hehehehehe!!!!!
I remember I was in a taxi in KL once, caught in a jam…and it was dinnertime. The driver asked for permission from me to eat and I said ok. He took one and started eating, the smell was overwhelming, got me drooling all over. Then he turned to me and said, “You cannot eat these big paos – you’re so fat!!!” Tsk! Tsk! Talk about adding insult to injury! LOL!!!!
The pao must be very laku, 7 early 8 early sold out liao…
Yalor! They should make more since they are so popular. 😦
Will definitely give this kedai a visit when i am back in sibu.. (Actually so happy my dad got promoted and transferred to sibu.. Heaven for foodies !)..
You’re from Sibu? Wonder where you’re based now – browsed through your blog, looks like you’re in Australia. Wonder who your dad is.
I’ve tried the paos at many places in Sibu, none that I liked…but these are nice…though they are always sold out. My friend who was home from the US got their contact number and called to book. I am always too lazy to do that – later I call and then suddenly, too lazy to go and collect, how? Hehehehehe!!!!
The fried noodles serving here is extra large. Lots of toppings, but only available from a minimum rm5 per plate or rm5.50
Nice? I wonder which stall that is, didn’t see any open that morning…or maybe it was an off day for most of them. I don’t mind paying…as long as it is nice and has lots of ingredients, value for money.
Not bad ..hha..I think lunch time n dinner only..it’s located at the back..closed kitchen
Ok, will give it a try the next time I drop by.
Hmm…the guy must be from Kuching? Coz when I was in Kuching “bak pau” or “rou pau” means exactly this – minced pork with egg instead of stewed pork.
It’s like that huge pau that’s in Jalan Padungan for RM 2.50 (price from years ago) which is just as big and is enough for lunch! In fact, I frequently had it for lunch. Haha.
They have a gigantic pau over here called Yip Chee May bun that’s as large as a dinner plate! 🙂
I hear the Padungan now is selling for RM4-4.50 now. My SIL always bought for us everytime she came to Sibu until we found out they’re so expensive – told her not to do it, anymore. Not that nice, anyway – a lot of skin, scrimp on the filling. 😦 Haven’t had the giant ones in KL for a long long time now – used to in the mid-80’s…and tapao back to the pork-free hostel for dinner or supper, skip the un-appetising halal meals provided. These days, I don’t even know where to find nice ones – the coffee shop at Bukit Bintang is no longer there. 😦
Tarak Yip Chee Mei Big Pau there? LOL. Not bad la the pau
This one already big enough – my girl and the mum have to share one, cannot manage one on their own even, not so gross.
Kathy, Arthur knows who is Yip Chee Mei meh? Hahaaaaa… Do you, Arthur? I love char siew pau too but the most I take is one or better half so that more space for other food!
I love pao, especially char siew ones, saw many people making own paos using bread maker, nice!
Yes, I heard. Been wanting to buy one…but till today, haven’t got down to it. So many things I want to do, put off day after day. 😦
The noodles look pretty good and that was a good portion too. Maybe the pao guy took out some more pao to steam. I think they have a few batches and perhaps at 7am the first batch was all sold but the remaining batches were not yet ready. Somehow I don’t like the big pao. I prefer char siew or tao sar.
They had tau sar…and butter but no, I’m a meat person. Don’t mind minced meat or char siew but must be meat.
Dunno what he was up to – I guess I will just have to depend on luck when I drop by. Got, good…sold out, too bad – try again next time. Really!!! How to do business like that, these people? Young people these days – do business like don’t want to do business one. The time is stated on their banner – they should make sure the paos are available as sated. Tsk! Tsk!
So early the finish selling Lol the kompia? Wow….must be very good.
The pao. The kompia, yes…my friend could only get RM5 at one place…and we had to go another place to get another RM10, RM15 altogether…to take back to the US…all the way! The evidence is there – good or not, you can judge for yourself.
My father made and sold baos before washing his hands in 1986. I know how to make boas but mine do not taste as nice as those made by my father. baos are comfort food to me. eating them reminds me of my father’s hard work. I particularly like the ones in Sinkwang Cafe, Kuching.
Not sure where that is. Let me google…Padungan. Never tried theirs. Same as SinKwang Heng, Open Air one? I had those – very nice. My friend from the Us, Philip – his favourite…anywhere!