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| - At long last, after nearly 7 years of living in Toronto, I have found IT!
In San Francisco there are a lot of Northern Chinese bakeries. For just $1, I could get a steamed vegetarian bun on practically any street corner.
There is a texture and flavor that just can't be copied without making steamed buns at the bakery. I've bought some at the Chinatown grocery stores frozen, but they were small and not nearly fresh and chewy enough.
Over the last 7 years, I've walked into Kim Moon, the biggest of Dundas -Spadina bakeries, and they look at me funny if I ask for a steamed bun. I eat at Yung Sing every now and again, but it's wheat flour buns filled with tofu. I stop in at other bakeries up and down Spadina. If they have a steamed bun it's always filled with bbq pork. Always the same story- nothing!
Finally, after spending a relaxing morning working at a coffee shop, I had to return to the office. I decided to get a Banh Mi for lunch, but saw a new bakery just east of Spadina on Dundas, so I walked in.
Cue the Hallelujah chorus!
$1 Vegetable Steamed buns with rice flour, the size of my face!
I took it to work, heated it up and savored the black mushrooms, onions, carrots, and other bits of veggies that filled this sweet, chewy doughy handful. There is nothing like it.
I've also tried the lotus bean and red bean buns and they are just like I remember from SF.
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