Last Saturday, Christina, my ex-student in my English tuition class, now a TESL grad and an English teacher in her own right, went all the way to Sarikei to be the one of the bridesmaids at her friend’s wedding.
While she was there, she remembered that I went looking for the Sarikei steamed paos (buns) which, according to the Youtube video that featured it, would be available at a supermarket here but no, I did not manage to get hold of any despite having gone there a few times. Now, that thoughtful girl took it upon herself to go looking for them there and bring them all the way here…just for me.
She got me the meat (char siew) buns…
…which were nice but the filling did not taste like char siew as we know it.
It had a taste of its own…
…and I think I could make out a hint of some Chinese wine or something like that. What I particularly liked was how the meat was in chunks, not minced meat used to cook and make the filling or worse, those where they use minced meat to make meat balls and stuff those in the paos. When you bite into the bun, there is the likelihood of the meatball rolling out and dropping onto the table…or worse, the floor, leaving you with just the skin in your hand.
Christina also bought me their signature buns, what the lady in the video clip said were their kaya butter buns…
Well, I could not taste any kaya but the filling…
…was very nice. Most people would make something on the dry side, probably a combination of butter and milk, for the filling, and call them butter buns. This one is very much nicer.
Yes, I would say they were nice and one thing that makes them stand out above all the rest, including the ones we have here in Sibu, is the skin, It is so very soft and fluffy, none that we have here comes anywhere near.
Thank you so much, Christina – that was so very sweet of you, indeed!
GRACE’s ARK 恩典芳舟, the bakery (2.122346, 111.521718) is located at No. 33, Jalan Entiba in Sarikei.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Wow she is very thoughtful indeed. You must be her favourite tuition teacher. 😀
Hopefully…and everybody else’s too!
I would love the char siew pao. The kaya butter bun looks totally different from ours. Looks like only a thin layer of kaya spread and the shape is unique. Over here, usually the paos are indicated by the red, green or yellow dot on top of them to indicate the different fillings of the pao. This one by the shape I guess.
Maybe. There is a lot of the kaya butter filling but it was liquid, not solid like the butter milk ones so I had to position it in such a way that the filling will stay inside the bun and not flow out all over the place. Whatever it is, it is the skin that wins hands down – none better and a million times better than the Fook Hai Kuching ones. LOL!!!
It has been a long time since I have kaya bun. Last time I think it was when I have dim sum. Smaller version. There was one coffee shop in Kenyalang selling those char siew bun and kaya bun. Mum used to buy them.
I used to go to the Kenyalang one for the pao, best in Kuching…but that was in the 70’s. Have not been there since but I hear from Irene, it is still there!
Your ex-student is so kind and thoughtful. Kaya pau used to be a treat for me when I was a child.
I cannot remember ever eating that – guess we’re more into meat, vegetable pao also seldom, no tao sar (black bean paste) pao either!
Now I feel like eating char siew pau after looking at your photos. Now Grab is offering 50% promo but discount capped at RM10 and minimum order is RM20… 🙂
Oh? I have not tried home food delivery…just that one time when Grab sent zmun2’s orders to my house. My first experience…and I did not order it myself. So jakun hor!
You are so blessed and well liked!
I am, praise the Lord!
I prefer chunky meat over minced meat too.
Great minds think alike.
Hey I too had char siu pau this morning!
Bet yours were good! This one, the skin was awesome but the filling – I think we have others that are nicer here.