Bao Zai (光记)

Run by a team of old folks. Can’t say it’s not nice and can’t say it’s very nice. But certainly taste wise can be improved. But these are old folks. They have been doing these for years. Who am I to comment too much? Furthermore I did not try everything on the menu.

The whole shop is a vibe on its own already, with staff kneading the dough and the huge steaming racks at the front. Price here is slightly on the high side for portion wise. Here is what I ordered: 🥟 Siew Mai ($0.70 / piece) Minimum order of 2 pieces, and I really like the fillings, albeit the size. The Wonton skin is thin, and the fillings are moist, juicy, and meat ratio to flour is good, with a few pieces of fat to give that greasy porky goodness. I rate: 4/5 🌟 🍞 Small Meat Bao ($0.80) Wow, this is really small. But the skin to meat ratio was perfect of 1:2. I like how the meat here is slightly more juice, and meat strips were occasionally bitten into. It has a nice meaty texture with the occasional herby garnish to relieve the grease. I rate: 4/5 🌟 🍚 Lor Mai Kai ($2) PORKY GREASY GOODNESS. I know a lor mai kai is gonna be bomb when the lid plops over and its pork grease that coats the rice and meat, giving a glistening shiny look. This is really greasy, and the meat patty on the top is a mixture of pork lard and lean meat. It can get a bit too much if consumed alone with other buns. I rate: 4/5 🌟

I am absolutely in love with their char siew bao, always dabao from there when I'm in the area. It's 80cents for a smallish pau, I always have stomach to eat one after a main meal. Bao still tastes good after microwaving. Biag pau good too. But char siew bao is my number one.

Great price for great Bao. I tried the red bean, lotus and char siew bao. I would suggest anyone who buy it to eat it immediately or to heat it up as it taste better when it’s hot. Will be back soon to get a few more to share with my family.

Love their hand made Bao, esp the meat and the char siew baos. Haven’t tried the rest. Yummy