Maybe you’ve heard of Bao Zhan from JB? I’ve only just found out about them this week. I’m not adventurous, especially when it involves food so I tend to stick with brands I’m familiar with. Though 包栈 has 8 stores in Johor, I’ve never come across them before, and don’t know if they are any good. So, when presented the opportunity to taste some of their products, after being told other people are raving about them, I decided to give them a go. So here’s my brutally honest review of their “Big Meat Bun” (大肉包), 豆沙包 and siu mai (烧卖)…
The 豆沙包 or red bean buns cost RM7.40 for 4pcs, i.e. S$0.60 each.
I found the red bean paste a little too watery. It’s almost like a ‘liu sha bao’ with the filling oozing out. The bun also has an interesting texture, like it’s halfway between a pau and a mochi – bouncy and squishy. It’s a big bun, unlike those we find in Singapore, so just have one with a beverage and it’s a meal already.
The 大肉包 cost RM7.20 for 2 pcs, i.e. S$1.20 each.
I really dislike this bun. One man’s meat is another man’s poison, so my apologies in advance if this happens to be your favorite pau. I thought the taste was almost bordering on disgusting, and if you hold it too tightly, a brown fluid starts dripping out from one end. Gosh. And the bun to filling ratio isn’t ideal – there’s too much carbo. I ended up eating the filling and throwing away the rest. Oops. Just get Nam Kee Pau’s 大包 – only $1.80 and SO GOOD. It hardly ever disappoints.
The Siu Mai, at RM5.90 for 6pcs or S$0.30 each are surprisingly good.
It’s not often that you can find frozen siu mai that taste good after you steam them. These taste decent even when eaten without any sauce. But of course, I enjoy pairing my food with Tiger brand chili sauce – it’s the best!