Best Steamed Pork Buns?

[deathbyblonde]

I have a fierce craving for a really good Chinese steamed pork bun. One where the ratio of filling to dough isn't off and where the "pork" is actually pork as opposed to a gloopy mess of lard bits. Any recommendations?

[dcasey]

I enjoy Province Chinese Canteen on Church Street in Tribeca...
http://www.provincecanteen.com/menu.html

[Jaxie Waxie Woo]

Anything recommendable in midtown? Lunch is around the corner and a trek way downtown is not in the cards.

I'm not well-versed on Korean cuisine - anything similar to a Chinese steamed pork bun that I could look for on menus? The stretch of restaurants near B'way and 32nd is nearby if so...

[LloydG]

Fay Da, on 34th St. between 7th and 8th (closer to 8th) has good baked pork buns, and lots of other buns as well. They also have hot items for lunch and dinner.

[sherrii]

$1.99 you can get 4 small panfried buns
$0.99 you can a large steamed pork with veg buns, very good, I personally prefer the sweet red bean buns
Vanessa's Dumplings
220 E 14th street, 2/3 Ave

[sugartoof]

Sam's Noodle Grill on 6th Avenue had a bubble tea, and bun store in the corner space next door. If they're still open (they've closed and reopened it a couple times) then you have to ask for them. They're usually not on display. I prefer the baked ones with the sweet glaze on top, and this is one of the few places I've found them baked. The filling tastes fresh, without any creepy mystery meat bites to it. I've found even the best of the Chinatown pork buns to be a little "too authentic" with odd fillers sometimes. The meat was kind of gamey, for lack of a better term.

The other problem with finding a good pork bun is a lot of places are just serving frozen ones.

[scoopG]

Mei Lah Wah Coffee House on Bayard Street
(No number, but kiddie corner almost from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory)
Freshly made Cantonese style BBQ pork buns - both steamed white and baked brown ones. I prefer the brown ones. .80 cents each. One of the oldest teahouses in Chinatown and it looks the part very well.

[biscuitsngravy]

I second, scoopG on Mei Lah Wah. Delicious steamed and baked buns. I'm partial to the steamed ones myself. While you're there get a coconut bun for desert. The coconut filling is sheer candied deliciousness (this is coming from someone who doesn't really even like coconut). They are amazing when hot and fresh.

[hmacleish]

I third Mei Lah Wah, though they do always have a few chunks of lard in them. There's a bakery on East Broadway, right of bowery on the south side (King something...) that does well with meat. They're pretty delicious, but the dough ratio is definitely better at Mei Lah Wah.

[gracenotesnyc]

The pork buns at Momofuku are really great, but they're not in the same price range as the ones they sell in Chinatown. If you're looking for a cheap alternative to Momofuku's pork buns, you should try Fay Da on Mott and Canal - their pork buns are awesome and they don't put random crap like onions in the filling.

[asnet]

Sun Say Kai Restaurant
212-964-7256
220 Canal, NY, NY 10013

Turn to left side counter when you enter. Right side is entrees.
Pork, chicken, red bean, shrimp dim sum, hot tea in a glass.
Lowest possible prices. The real thing.

[vvvindaloo]

You won't find a pork bun with better pork than the one at Momofuku Noodle Bar on 1st Ave. in the E. Village. It's not the most "traditional" pork bun, but it tastes heavenly.

[lynnlato]

A-FRIGGIN-MEN!!!!!! Glorious! David Chang/Momofuku ROCKS!

[napolean]

Momofuku's pork bun will remain one of the most--if not the most--memorable foods ever eaten! Not sure if I would consider them traditional, however.

[ironchef24]

The person that started this thread seems to be asking for steamed pork buns, either char siu bao (red pork instead a big round bun) or xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Momofuku's shredded pork in mantou is NEITHER. It is a fusion creation. Good, but not a Chinese pork bun. If you want a good xiao long bao (go to the xinjiang soup dumpling spot on prince street in flushing next to Lu's 68 Seafood, I think it's 68, may be another number...)