Char siu or pork steam buns - where to find? « Columbus Underground Messageboard

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Char siu or pork steam buns - where to find?

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Started 2 years ago by jn4jenny
Latest reply from hungrywoolf

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jn4jenny

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I'm new to Columbus and looking for chinese barbecued pork (preferably the kind with the red outer crust but will take the brown variety too). I tried CAM Asian Market and they didn't seem to have it.

Also looking for steamed pork buns, sometimes called char siu bao (has the above-mentioned red pork inside as filling). Would also take suggestions for places that make the baked pork bun variety as those places will often steam on request if you order ahead.

I had a passable cousin to the char siu bao yesterday at Ichiban Bakery (near Tensuke off Henderson Road), but it wasn't quite the way they do it in Hawaii.

Thanks so much for the help!

Posted 2 years ago #
shmack

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CAM definitely has bbq pork. look in the second room with all the prepared food. crestview in clintonville also roasts their own (duck too!). as for the buns... try golden delight, the strawberry cake place on bethel (i think, or 161? i can't remember).

you can find locations and hours for all of these businesses on yelp.

Posted 2 years ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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I would try Golden Delight Bakery in Gahanna. Also I know Crestview Market in Clintonville sells frozen buns and Char siu.

Of course you could always go to Lee Garden or Sunflower for Dim Sum.

Edit: And I should have read the previous post to see that Crestview has already been mentioned.

Posted 2 years ago #
JonMyers
HCMC ✈
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Would be awesome if there were a mobile food truck dedicated to steamed buns.

Posted 2 years ago #
berry

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I know it is lame and "Americanized" but I would love to get a Wow Bao in Columbus.....they are really addictive

http://www.wowbao.com/

Posted 2 years ago #
thefightinglibrarian
Running after the 'Bus
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berry wrote >>
I know it is lame and "Americanized" but I would love to get a Wow Bao in Columbus.....they are really addictive
http://www.wowbao.com/

+1 for buns!

Posted 2 years ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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JonMyers wrote >>
Would be awesome if there were a mobile food truck dedicated to steamed buns.

Oh god yes! Something that had some of those great street goodies I used to get in Hong Kong.

Closest I've been able to find is all the way in Portland. Which from the looks of the site has an amazing food cart scene.

http://foodcartsportland.com/category/cuisine/chinese/

Posted 2 years ago #
drew

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A bun cart/truck would be fantastic. I'd love to see more Asian street food of all types and representing all sorts of different nationalities.

Posted 2 years ago #
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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the best steamed pork buns I have found were at Ichiban bakery in Kenny Centre. You will have to reheat them when you get home, but they are amazing. about as big as your fist, slightly bigger, they are very good. I think they are about $1.25 each.

Posted 2 years ago #
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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also, with bbq pork - try Crestview market (high street & crestview, in Clintonville); also I have seen it at CAM but I'm not sure either place does it every day.

Posted 2 years ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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Lisa, are they char siu bao (barbecued pork buns)? Or just pork buns?

Oh and I can't remember the name of the place, but I got good buns at a tea house on High street around Henderson.

Posted 2 years ago #
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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DavidF wrote >>
Lisa, are they char siu bao (barbecued pork buns)? Or just pork buns?
Oh and I can't remember the name of the place, but I got good buns at a tea house on High street around Henderson.

I believe they are the red bbq pork buns. BUT it's been awhile since i've had them, and the pictures i took were terrible, so I can't guarantee. I think you are thinking of Ying's Tea House on high street. I've heard nothing but good things about them.

Posted 2 years ago #
DavidF
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Yep. It was Yings. Thanks. I had really good buns there, the entrees were decent but didn't really stand out.

Posted 2 years ago #
jn4jenny

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lisathewaitress wrote >>

DavidF wrote >>
Lisa, are they char siu bao (barbecued pork buns)? Or just pork buns?
Oh and I can't remember the name of the place, but I got good buns at a tea house on High street around Henderson.

I believe they are the red bbq pork buns. BUT it's been awhile since i've had them, and the pictures i took were terrible, so I can't guarantee. I think you are thinking of Ying's Tea House on high street. I've heard nothing but good things about them.

The ones at Ichiban are pork buns. Perfectly good pork buns, but alas, not char siu bao. :(

I didn't see char siu at CAM the last time I was there, but maybe I was there on the wrong day. I'll ask at the desk and see if they've got a schedule for it, maybe just weekends or something (surely they make it for Chinese holidays!). I'll have to make a bakery/market strafing run this upcoming weekend and report back on the comparative results! Thx for the suggestions, everyone!

Major +1 for the steam bun cart idea. Some entrepreneur needs to hit that up.

Posted 2 years ago #
jn4jenny

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Just updating this thread as my BBQ Pork Bun hunt continues.

Crestview Market sells the frozen BBQ Pork Buns that I've bought in many metro areas. Very passable if you microwave them and always fantastic if you steam them. These will definitely tide me over until I find the fresh version!

Ichiban Bakery in Kenny Road Centre had a good serviceable pork steam bun, but it was not a BBQ pork char siu bao. The filling was closer to what we call Pork Hash in Hawaii.

Ditto with the pork steam bun at Golden Delite Bakery on Bethel and/or in Gahanna, but the Golden Delite knocked the Ichiban version out of the water. Much better spices and it tasted fresher too. It still wasn't a BBQ pork ball but it's a start.

So today the husband and I headed to Ying's Teahouse and YumYum in Clintonville. The homemade dumplings were out of this world, possibly the best I've ever had anywhere including in Hawaii. I will go back just for the dumplings! Ying Ying had steamed pork buns AND bbq pork buns on their appetizer menus, but they were very expensive ($3.00+ for two small but freshly made steam buns). I was not impressed with their bbq pork bun--it was sickeningly sweet, it was doughy even though it had been freshly steamed, and it was just generally gross.

So far Golden Delite is the best of the bunch.

Posted 2 years ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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I just had really good char siu bao at Lee garden. I'd call them and see if they are willing to sell them.

Posted 2 years ago #
north4thlikeme
Norf Norf
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I know a lady in Dayton that makes incredible ones, and she is getting ready to retire from her real job. Maybe she could start a biz?

Posted 2 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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Y'know, these were surprisingly easy and really, really good.

Posted 2 years ago #
thorne
Clintonville
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+1 for Ying's Teehouse and YumYum. Never had the pork buns, but the dumplings are amazing!

Posted 2 years ago #
north4thlikeme
Norf Norf
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You know my girls f callamilys these siaopao, is there a difference?

Posted 2 years ago #