Chinese Bakeries

[chocomoo]

Yeah, I microwave most of the Chinese buns. Makes the bread so soft. 

I forgot to post that I went to New Town two weeks ago--I bought a selection of buns, but they didn't have any cocktail buns! The buns were good--baked a bit on the dark side, which I like.  And I also bought something called an "egg crispy" or something...it was like pate choux that had been fried (but fried until crisp, so unlike a cruller) and then covered with a very light syrupy glaze.

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I always microwave mine too! If they're the Chinese white buns, I steam them in the microwave. Kinda off-topic here, but Daiso carries microwaveable plastic steamers.

I'm trying to figure out what an egg crispy is - were they "dan san", that you can sometimes get at dim sum? They're usually thin & longish, & twisted. I feel they're best if they're fresh. I had REALLY bad ones at some cheapo dim sum place, where the COLD syrup tasted like it was made with tap water from a dirty tap. Never again, never again... I loooooove the "Chinese crullers" ("go lik dou sa") at Shanghai Wind

Oh & in reference to your long-ago posts about Mega, yep, the buns have gotten smaller. I usually microwave them, then toast them so I get toasted sesame seeds & a crispy top.

I was telling my dad that New Town is actually a Filipino bakery, and he said that they're actually Chinese immigrants from the Philippines. I've probably said this before but T&T carries some Filipino baked goods.

[Ling]

I'm trying to figure out what an egg crispy is - were they "dan san", that you can sometimes get at dim sum?  They're usually thin & longish, & twisted. 

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Yeah, except this one was a monster-sized one.

[chocomoo]

Oh, haha! Did you finish it in 2 bites?

My mom bought a box of green tea scones that were on sale from Yaohan. I always see them on sale, probably because people are afraid to try green-coloured baked goods! I was really surprised that they were actually pretty good - as soon as I opened the box I could smell the green tea! The ingredients lists green tea powder & green tea flavour, along with red beans (which at first glance I thought were raisins, gross! Gross combined with green tea, anyway). You can tell the red beans were pre-soaked/cooked in sugar water first.

[canucklehead]

I went to a new bakery tonight in Richmond - Castle Bakery on Alexandra. They had a pineapple bun that actually had a pineapple filling - this is the first time I have seen this. So obvious yet revolutionary. It was quite good - the pineapple tasting like the kind you find in Asian whip cream cakes. Have I just been missing the boat on these little taste treats?

There is also the added bonus that the bakery is open late (listed closing time is 8pm - but since they bake all night, they have been open as late as 10pm.

[chocomoo]

WHAAAT?? Actual pineapple in a pineapple bun? I gotta try this! Maybe I'll make my mom pick up some when she gets off from work...Where is this exactly on Alexandra? Is it a tiny bakery?

There's a new bakery next to that "Red Star" (I only know the Chinese name) dim sum place on Granville. It's called Le Patisserie but it's actually a Chinese bakery - yeah, I know, I guess they just wanted something that was French. Apparently their 1000-year-old egg pastries are quite good. They use good pickled (?) ginger too! I don't like "pei dan so"s, so I haven't tried them myself. I heard that their garlic bread is yummy too - I recently realized that the garlic bread from Chinese bakeries is usually more garlicky than at other kinds of bakeries. We bought some Dempster's garlic bread from the Olafson's outlet (on Annacis Island) & it wasn't very good - the butter/garlic wasn't spread evenly, & there was hardly any garlic flavour. I love the garlic bread "sticks" from Mega. I can't eat it at work though, unless I want a 3-foot clearance space around me & my desk.

[canucklehead]

WHAAAT??  Actual pineapple in a pineapple bun?  I gotta try this!  Maybe I'll make my mom pick up some when she gets off from work...Where is this exactly on Alexandra?  Is it a tiny bakery?

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Small new bakery @ 8291 Alexandra Road 160, Richmond - same mall as La Amigo.

[Ling]

There's a new bakery next to that "Red Star" (I only know the Chinese name) dim sum place on Granville.  It's called Le Patisserie but it's actually a Chinese bakery - yeah, I know, I guess they just wanted something that was French. 

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They also have a location next right by New Town in Richmond, across from Richmond Center.

Lee--I used to buy pineapple buns with CUSTARD filling...really good! I don't remember where I got them from (I used to buy them in high school)...anyone know?

[hzrt8w]

I went to a new bakery tonight in Richmond - Castle Bakery on Alexandra.  They had a pineapple bun that actually had a pineapple filling - this is the first time I have seen this.  So obvious yet revolutionary.  It was quite good - the pineapple tasting like the kind you find in Asian whip cream cakes.  Have I just been missing the boat on these little taste treats?

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This is the first time I've heard real pineapple inside pineapple bun. Are they dry? Fresh/canned pineapple contains a lot of water. I wonder how they can manage to put them inside the bread without it come out soggy.

Like Ling said, a lot of pineapple bun has custard filling (which I don't like ). Plain (really, plain) old pineapple bun works the best for me...

[canucklehead]

I went to a new bakery tonight in Richmond - Castle Bakery on Alexandra.  They had a pineapple bun that actually had a pineapple filling - this is the first time I have seen this.  So obvious yet revolutionary.  It was quite good - the pineapple tasting like the kind you find in Asian whip cream cakes.  Have I just been missing the boat on these little taste treats?

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This is the first time I've heard real pineapple inside pineapple bun. Are they dry? Fresh/canned pineapple contains a lot of water. I wonder how they can manage to put them inside the bread without it come out soggy.

Like Ling said, a lot of pineapple bun has custard filling (which I don't like ). Plain (really, plain) old pineapple bun works the best for me...

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The pineapple - I think - are canned and are in light glaze. They remain quiet intact and frairly fresh tasting - but an anology would be like a filled donut. I was suprised by how light and 'bright' it tasted. I have had the custard ones - which I like also.

But I agree the best are the plain old school ones. In HK - the most decadent was when they were HOT out of the oven - they were sliced open and an ICY slab of butter was sandwiched in between. It would take the rest of the day to get my eyes rolled forward again...

[hzrt8w]

[...] In HK - the most decadent was when they were HOT out of the oven - they were sliced open and an ICY slab of butter was sandwiched in between.  It would take the rest of the day to get my eyes rolled forward again...

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You can say that again... fresh off the oven. Pineapple bun and dan tart, and cocktail bun too. And a cup of real milk tea! 4:00 pm everyday! Never got used to their coffee/tea mix though...

[bill_n_opus]

i don't know what these are called and so far, the best ones i've ever had in vancouver are in new town bakery.

they're called chinese cinnamon donuts at ntb.  i grew up on them in malaysia and remembered them to be a little bit more salty/sweet than the ones here.  and not as dense.

does anyone know of other bakeries that have better ones?  if you know what i'm talking about?

danka!

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NTB also has really good "dai bow" (Big Buns). I like big buns

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and you cannot lie

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Other brothers can't deny!

Mmmmnnnnn ... real pineapple in a pineapple bun.

Unfortunately, i'm "adjusting" my diet for the moment. My recent bloodwork revealed that i'm all good ... except for my LDL. Slightly high (cholesterol) levels. Gotta ease off the bad stuff for awhile.

I did have a Dan tat last week (iirc from T&T) and it was not bad.

[canucklehead]

Here's a picture of the pineapple bun - with pineapple inside. It seems like there are questions of the technically - how the bun is made. It is not full bursting with pineapple - but with nice big chunks.

[hzrt8w]

Here's a picture of the pineapple bun - with pineapple inside.

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That indeed looks very nice. I have never countered something like that.

I have been to Kee Wah Bakery (the Hong Kong brandname) in Milpitas and Monterey Park, who I think is the best Chinese bakery in California. They only do the classic stuff and not as creative as yours. I have been to some Taiwanese bakery shops both in the bay area and Los Angeles and they all disappointed me.

[canucklehead]

I have been to Kee Wah Bakery (the Hong Kong brandname) in Milpitas...

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I used to go to that mall all the time in Milpitas. I agree that the Kee Wah is excellent. Also in that mall are very good Chinese restaurants - especially the Halal restaurant (I cannot remember the name) that also has some Shanghainese specialties (including a giant fish head hot pot, good green onion flat cakes, and lamb hot pots). Have you been?

Vancouver is quite lucky with its bakeries - there are also a number of Vietnamese bakeries here making crusty french bread and buns with unexpected fillings (durian for example).

[hzrt8w]

Milpitas Square is what they call that shopping mall on Barber Lane. Now they open Milpitas Square II just right next to it. I have only been to a few of the shops/restaurants because I only pass by once every 6 months or so.

I have compared the Chinese versus Vietnamese bakeries in Sacramento. They (Vietnamese bakeries) make wonderful French breads. But they seem to lack the varieties that I am used to with Hong Kong style bakeries. You who live in Vancouver are really in Asian food heaven. I envy you.

[BCinBC]

No cocktail buns, but I did really enjoy some stuff I picked up at Michelle's on W Boulevard the other day - BBQ pork bun was a little too salty, but otherwise very good; chicken bun was this kind of weird paste inside, but tasted great; and the egg custard tart, I confirm is one of the best I've had in recent memory. The shell is awesome! (And for some reason, football-shaped - American football, not soccer football I mean.)

[eatrustic]

Thanks to this thread I too discovered Michelle's and I have to say that the Portuguese Egg tart is way better than the regular (football shaped) egg tart (easily one of the best things I have had in a long time - especially when they're warm)!

The cocktail/coconut bun on the other hand is kind of boring even if it does get the fancy packaging.

[chocomoo]

I really like Anna's egg tarts - the crust is different from Michelle's - more shortbread-y. Lots of filling too There are several locations, one of which is/was on W. 41st kinda across the street from the Red Onion (same side as McDonald's, same side of the train tracks). It might be closed now though - I guess they couldn't compete with Michelle's. There's also a location on Cambie (near 41st, maybe 43rd?).

[chocomoo]

Thought I'd mention King Wah Bakery again here as I had a REALLY delicious baked tapioca pudding from there If anybody has ever had the baked tapioca pudding at Kirin, this was way better. The pastry crust on the top was so buttery... The pudding itself was a tad sweet, but oh well! Unfortunately for BCinBC, there's a red bean filling hidden inside. However, for the rest of us who like red bean, the filling was great - it doesn't taste like commercially-made red bean filling (which can sometimes taste artificial) and actually has some red bean bits in it. Anyway, King Wah is on E. 41st & Victoria.

Another exciting discovery I made lately is the "pai bao" (row buns??) at Osaka supermarket (at Yaohan). They're basically soft milk buns that're attached to each other, all lined up (hence the "row" part of the name - the buns are thin & long). We like the kind with raisins in them. Osaka's pai bao are denser & (I think) more buttery than all the other bakeries' pai baos that we've tried. Even better than Michelle's & Anna's. They're like $1.25 per pack (containing 5 baos, I think?).

By the way, Anna's Cake House on W. 41st has closed (a while ago).

Random question: why do all chicken tarts ALWAYS contain blubbery chicken skin in the filling?

[urbandiner]

Thought I'd mention King Wah Bakery again here as I had a REALLY delicious baked tapioca pudding from there    If anybody has ever had the baked tapioca pudding at Kirin, this was way better.  The pastry crust on the top was so buttery... The pudding itself was a tad sweet, but oh well!  Unfortunately for BCinBC, there's a red bean filling hidden inside.  However, for the rest of us who like red bean, the filling was great - it doesn't taste like commercially-made red bean filling (which can sometimes taste artificial) and actually has some red bean bits in it.  Anyway, King Wah is on E. 41st & Victoria.

Another exciting discovery I made lately is the "pai bao" (row buns??) at Osaka supermarket (at Yaohan).  They're basically soft milk buns that're attached to each other, all lined up (hence the "row" part of the name - the buns are thin & long).  We like the kind with raisins in them.  Osaka's pai bao are denser & (I think) more buttery than all the other bakeries' pai baos that we've tried.  Even better than Michelle's & Anna's.  They're like $1.25 per pack (containing 5 baos, I think?).

By the way, Anna's Cake House on W. 41st has closed (a while ago).

Random question:  why do all chicken tarts ALWAYS contain blubbery chicken skin in the filling? 

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Are pai bao buns the same as the ones you get at T&T? Creamy, pale yellow colour, soft texture, kinda sweet and crazy addictive? If so, I must head to Osaka asap. Love those buns.

Michelle's being so close by, I keep my egg tart eating for when dear ol' dad brings 'em over as a treat (which is quite often, I must say).

I do enjoy a hot, freshly baked tapioca pudding, which I never think to order unless it comes with a banquet style dinner (weddings or baby's month-old celebration).

[canucklehead]

Stopped by NTB and got 1/2 dozen of their apple tarts. Man - do they rock! Not too sweet, no cinnamon - all apple and flakey pastry. Best warm from the bakery - they need to be warmed up a little when they get cool.

[chocomoo]

Are pai bao buns the same as the ones you get at T&T? Creamy, pale yellow colour, soft texture, kinda sweet and crazy addictive? If so, I must head to Osaka asap. Love those buns.

Michelle's being so close by, I keep my egg tart eating for when dear ol' dad brings 'em over as a treat (which is quite often, I must say).

I do enjoy a hot, freshly baked tapioca pudding, which I never think to order unless it comes with a banquet style dinner (weddings or baby's month-old celebration).

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I think so - are they all lined up in a row & you have to rip off each bun? They're more white than yellow though. Yep, they're really soft. I love that Chinese bakeries rehydrate raisins.

We just popped the tapioca pudding in the toaster oven - good as new! 2 of my auntie's actually make really good baked tapioca pudding, but not with the flaky crust on the top.

Speaking of flaky crust, Mega Bakery (the Taiwanese bakery at Continental Centre) has a new type of swiss roll - it's a normal swiss roll with a flaky crust wrapped around it. It doesn't look that appealing, but we did score some of that crust in our bag of "cake toasts". This particular batch of cake toast wasn't that good though - it wasn't baked long enough and some of the pieces were still slightly moist but crunchy at the same time - gross. My mom rebaked the toasts in the oven and they were a bit better.