When she was at our house for lunch on New Year’s Day, my sister told me about the very nice steamed paos (buns) at this coffee shop. I did see them in the steamer on the pavement outside when I was there before but I never got the chance to ask where they came from – I just assumed that they probably came from this shop round the corner that is very popular around here for their buns.
My sister said that they were not from there, that much she could say, but she did not know who the people making them were. She did stop by again the other morning and she bought me a few…
…to try. She said they were from the day before but it did not matter – they were as good as new.
I tried one and I found that it had minced meat inside, compressed into a lump and there was a bit of egg too…
I am not all that fond of paos with the filling like that but this one tasted so so good that all was forgiven. I enjoyed it very much even though I did feel that it could do with a little bit less msg.
My sister grumbled that it was RM2.50 when she bought it before but going into the new year, the price has shot up to RM2.70. Looking at it…
…I was thinking that it could be the other very popular steamed paos in town, the ones they called Ah Pui’s bak pao (meat buns). I remember the filling was similar…
…and I really liked the taste, just that I did not quite like the skin that time in 2019 and boy, it was only RM2.10 each then.
Well, since they were so very nice, I’d probably be dropping by this coffeeshop one of these days to buy some more and of course, I shall confirm with them whether these were Ah Pui’s paos or not.
EMAS CORNER CAFE BARU (2.292229, 111.838162) is located to the extreme right of the blocks of shops along Lorong Tong Sang 1B at the junction of Jalan Tong San and Lorong/Jalan Langsat.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I like char siu paos more than bak paos. I am also not keen on paos where the meat fillings inside are compressed into a lump. Having said that, I don’t mind too if they are so so good like you say…😊😊
These were good, not like the Kuching Hock Hai ones, so hard and when you eat, the whole lump will fall out, leaving just the skin.
I like the dim sum char siew paos, not these local ones with their so-called reddish char siew filing. Used to buy from Hong Kong Puffs but the last time I bought from there the quality has gone down…and the price has gone up. So sad.
delicious looking bak paos! freshly made, they must have been so nice.
you did not really fancy the skin due to its mushy texture?
Yes, I’m more into the old school style when it comes to the skin. Cushiony, not mushy – they did not use the extra white, super refined pao flour way back then.
This type of bak paos or minced meat paos is hubby’s favourite. I prefer the char siew paos.
I prefer those with bits of meat inside, not compressed minced meat like this but since this one tastes really great, all is forgiven! I sure would not mind going to buy some more.
Bak bao filling is like that. I don’t like either. So I prefer char siew bao more. Hehe. With egg in it of course.
If it is the dim sum type of char siew pao, there is no egg in it.
Bak pao here, usually not compressed into a lump like that…except this one. Follow Kuching Hock Hai pao, maybe.
Usually, it is bits of meat (I think the nice ones in Kenyalang Park or Open Air also)…and the local char siew pao (not the dim sum ones) as well, just that the meat is coloured red.
Here you are!!! The Open Air bak pao, where got compressed into a lump like that?
So far, I tasted 2 different places selling bak bao here. They usually used those minced meat and compressed into lump. Softer texture. But I don’t fancy it. Of course, we only have very few people selling char siew bao with egg, must know where to look. I am lucky to find one uncle selling char siew bao with egg at only RM1.90. Near my place, no need go so far
The old school pao with red filling, supposed to be char siew, will have egg in it but these days, such a tiny wedge, I really do not know why they bother! The dim sum char siew pao, the ones with the top gaping wide open, do not have egg in them.
The two using minced meat must be following the style of that immensely popular Hock Hai pao. I brought a friend , home from the US (formerly from Sibu), to eat – he was disgusted by what they serve there, to say the least. Dunno why so many like what they sell there.
This is so nostalgic!
We used to have one stall selling traditional baos like these.
The skin was not pure white like those you see these days.
Yes, big baos came with 1/4 hard boiled eggs too.
Yes, I am not a fan of the super white, super processed pao flour. The texture is kind of mushy and sticky, not like the skin of the old school paos in my younger days. Somehow, it is all right when used to make those dim sum paos, the ones with the top gaping wide open. A quarter? These days, you’ll be lucky to get one eighth here. So pissed off to see.
I am a fan of steamed buns. I usually like a slightly sweeter filling, something with barbecue sauce.
Yes, I’d love that too…and I’d love a bit of egg inside as well.