The Prudent Gentleman: Pork buns

As any gentleman knows, when heading into town it is sensible to line ones stomach against the perils of the evening.  While not eating can lead to a cheap night, more often than not this is because it is short, unpleasant, and involving a gutter somewhere.  But the troublesome question is often deciding where you should sate your stomach before you slake your thirst.

One of my favourite fast options lies in Chinatown.  Not one of the fancy restaurants - this is a stall occupying a sliver of land outside a grocers on Newport Court (close to Leicester Square station).  Two steaming cabinets stand either side of the stallholder, offering a selection of treats, including oyster pancakes, tea eggs and the like.  But what we're here for is a steamed bun.  Known in the Orient as baozi, these delicacies originate from China.  They are one of my favourite snacks when heading into town for some light Bacchian debauchery, and a very prudent choice at that.

This particular stall offers buns (bāozi or 包子) in a variety of flavours - chicken, vegetable or Chinese chive, but it is the pork I fall back on to nom by default.

Do not be fooled by first impressions - this innocuous white dough hides a treat inside. The dough itself is nothing particularly special.  Cruel people might say it bears a resemblance to wallpaper paste, but this would be ignoring[is to ignore] the subtle rice flavour and fluffy pillowy texture. However, break through the thick exterior and you'll find a ball of delicious, moist pork combined with onion, scallions and mixed spices - the most predominant of which is ginger.

Care must be taken at this point for the bun should not only be filled with delicious pork, but also delicious soup.  You see, the steaming of the meat has left delicious, oily joy within the dough and you have to be very careful not to spill this over your new frockcoat or cravat.  The paper bag it is supplied in will do little to help if it spills, and frankly you will need to wash your hands after you finish nomming?

Now, it is obvious this is not a fancy option - and while it is tasty, I would add it is not particularly healthsome either.  However, it is both frugal and filling and I would hazard both more interesting and healthy than a lot of the other options in the area.

And the price?  When I was first exiled to the Metropolis it was £1 for a bun, but now the price has risen to £1.50.  However on the basis that would just about get you a limp sandwich from most places, I feel this remains a reasonable choice, especially given its central location.

Authors note: The smartest amongst you may have noticed the photos were taken in daylight.  This is because for the purposes of good authorship it is just Not Done to write a piece after a night on the port, Madeira, snuff, and laudanum.  Especially if you're writing it when you are supposed to be entertaining some poor sot.  So instead I visited the stall in the mid afternoon for a post lunch snack, and was pleased to see my memories were not tainted by the drink.