Henry Steam Buns

What attracted me to this unassuming shopfront was the fact that they’re pretty much a one-product affair. Beyond Bánh Mi Xiu Mai ($7) – a spicy, garlicky Vietnamese take on Chinese beef balls served with a crisp Vietnamese bread roll for dipping – this shop makes Vietnamese bánh bao or steamed buns.

There’s only one small table inside this utilitarian shopfront, dominated by a large, silver steamer. Inside its glass-fronted window dripping with water you can see orderly rows of chicken, sausage, vegetable and sweet buns, as well as the Vietnamese pork bun version made with ...read more