Pineapple Bun (bor lor bao) with Red Bean Paste Filling Part 2
Read the first part of the post here!
Here’s how the Pineapple Bun with Red Bean Paste filling looks when cut in half. Keep in mind that it is extremely difficult to slice in half a bun thats soft. You’ll either crumble the crust or completely smash up the bun. It took some extreme care to slice it, even then, it smooshed just a bit.
Pineapple Bun (bor lor bao) with Red Bean Paste Filling
Pineapple Bun (bor lor bao) with Red Bean Paste Filling
This is one of my favorite Buns, a Pineapple Bun. But not just any ordinary Pineapple Bun, this one has a Red Bean filling. A combination of two of my favorite pastries!
Ever wonder why its called a Pineapple Bun (hint: Look at the Crust)? The crust resembles a pineapple, simple as that. Its a fluffy dough with a sweet crust that crumbles upon contact. Its delightful.
There are variations depending on the Bakery and upon the region/area. Some crusts are light yellow, almost white while others are deep yellow or orange. Either way, you won’t mistaken it for anything other than a Pineapple Bun. The other variations of this is the filling. A Plain has no filling, sometimes you can get it with Red Bean Paste (a favorite of mine). Another variation has a creamy egg filling (pictures next time) that most bakeries bake up in a longer or almost trianglish shape rather than round.
Pineapple Bun (bor lor boa) with Red Bean Paste Filling
Pineapple Bun (bor lor boa) with Red Bean Paste Filling
These can be found in Chinese Bakeries usually, stop by at any Chinatown and you’ll probably find them easily. Don’t believe they’re just eaten as breakfast, they can be eaten anytime and will laste a few days without refrigeration. But of course they are freshest in the mornings after being baked. When its warm, its soft and very fluffy, watch for crumbs falling. They’re cheap too! They can cost from 60 cents to about $1, again depending on the bakery. If you ever visit a Chinese Bakery, be sure to ask for Bor Lor Bau!
Read Part 2 of this post here!
Dim Sum and Lunch at Asian Flame Restaurant on Avenue U
Asian Flame Restaurant
1321 Avenue U
Corner of E. 13th St
Brooklyn, NY
Asian Flame Restaurant
Like many up and coming Chinese Restaurants popping up on Avenue U, Asian Flame by far is the better choice between the few on this Avenue. Chinese Restaurants generally start from E 18th Street and it pretty much ends right about E 12th/E.13th Street. This restaurant has been around for almost a year now, and from the looks of it from the outside, there’s a similar resemblance to the other Chinese Restaurants. The reason for this similarity is that roasted chicken, duck, and pork are hanging by the front of the restaurant available for the public to see, and as well as Chinese signs plastered outside of the window. Most Chinese patronage usually buy these meats to take it back home for dinner. The way you order them is as follows:
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Lotus Seed Bun
Have you ever seen these before? Perhaps you have at a Chinese Bakery or at Dim Sum. They are known as Lotus Seed Buns. It’s a simple pastry made of dough, lotus seed paste in the center, and a bit of food coloring, usually in the shape of a peach. Sometimes it will be be completely covered in food coloring but the most appealing are the ones that look like the ones below, white and a hint of pink.
Lotus Seed Buns
The Lotus Seed Paste is a sweet paste thats wonderful when hot. This is not to be confused with Red Bean Paste of course. Red Bean Paste is much more common. Both of these are used in Mooncakes during the Lunar Holidays. You can find them at Chinese Bakeries with the Red Bean Buns being the most common. There’s also buns that have nothing in them but a hint of sweetness that are also commonly sold called “mantou”.
If you ever have the chance whether you’re near a Chinese Bakery or at Dim Sum, definitely try it. Guaranteed you’ll love it. Sometimes you can also find small versions of these in refrigerated packages at Asian Super Markets.
Sunway Cafe Chinese Diner
39-07 Prince St
(Near 39th Ave, 7 train to Flushing)
Flushing, NY
After watching Simpsons The Movie at the glamorous College Point Movie theatre, the bf, bf’s brother, and I were craving for food. We left at about 10:30 pm and tried to figure out what the hell we were going to eat. No, not Wendy’s or White Castle again. For once, we were all sick of fast food and thought that we needed to sit down tight at a civilized place with plates of real food. Since we were on a tight budget, we decided to head out to Flushing for some cheap ol’ Chinese food. The bf’s younger sweet 16 brother, Alvin, suggested that we go to Sunway. He swears that it’s the best place ever and claims that he’s been there over 20x. It must be dam affordable if he goes there religious. With growling tummies and a loose wallet, the bf and I decided that we should hit this joint and find out.
If you’re in Flushing, you have to be blind not to see this restaurant. It’s smacked right in the middle of Flushing, literally a block away, and it’s right on the corner of Prince and 39th Ave. We got there around 11pm and had to wait on line because there were so many people waiting for a seat! Outrageous! Well, it’s better than it being deserted because then it would get creepy, like in manhattan’s Chinatown.
After about 10 mins, we got seats right under the plasma tv. The baseball game was playing, but not like anyone was paying attention to it. Most of the people here were younger kids that looks really fobby. A pack of young teenage girls were giggling in the back of the restaurant, and a good sprinkle of older fobby guys were sitting in the middle chatting it up like gangsters.
Anyways, after we were seated for like 10 mins, a waitress came to us and asked what we liked to drink. Let me tell you, the best part of the menu are their drinks. I’ve never seen anything more colorful and cocktail-like in my whole entire life. They serve an array of bubble teas and mixed fruity drinks. I opted for the Phoenix Sunrise drink, picture below, because it sounded so kickass. When the drink arrived, I was oh so impressed by the color because it looks like how it sounds and it tasted very sweet, which I love. I can taste mango and orange. Exactly what they put their drink is beyond me. And Alvin got the mango smoothie, which to me didn’t look anything special. The taste wasn’t that great too.
Alright time for the chow part of this blog.
Rice noodles with duck, wonton, and choy sum
Price: $3.75
I wished they gave more rice noodles. Apparently Alvin didn’t finish this bowl due to the dim sum that we ordered, which I will get to. I did have a taste of the duck and wonton and to me, it wasn’t anything special. I grew up eating this stuff, and I figure as long as the taste doesn’t get worse it’s fine by me.
My Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended: Yes especially if you never had this before, or you’re craving for delicious duck and noodles.
Rice noodles with braised beef
Price: $3.75
Again, what’s up with skimping with the dam rice noodles?? I ordered this thinking that this dish can absolutely cannot go wrong, but it did. I’m pissed as hell with the skimping, but to give me the hard ass part of the beef and a few pieces of meat is not cool with me. The broth tasted pretty good, but I’m not feeling this skimping part.
Rating: 2.5/5
Not Recommended
Dim Sum!
Price: $2.25/each
Beef wrapped with Rice Noodles (In Chinese, it’s called Ha Chern)
Malaysian Spongcake
Ha Gow (Shrimp covered with thin rice paper)
Pork Bun
I give them props for having dim sum at this hour. These didn’t taste bad at all. If you are craving for dim sum late night, I’d definitely recommend it.
BBQ Spare Ribs
Price: $5.25
This is the cheapest piece of meat that I’ve ever seen. There’s not a lot of meat and this is the most oily thing that I have ever eaten. I didn’t really like it and wouldn’t recommend anyone ordering this.
Remember, you pay for what you get. The food is decent here and it really gives a quick fix for a staving stomach. The drinks here are absolutely phenomenom. People were ordering it here like crazy. I really recommend that. Alright, I’ll leave you with the health inspection results from the city.
SUNWAY CAFE
39-07 PRINCE STREET, QUEENS 11354
Violation points: 9
Inspection Date: 09/14/2006
Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.
Sanitary Violations
1.) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
2.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
