Steamed pork bao buns are a deceptively simple dish. Fundamentally, this staple of traditional dim sum has only a few components: a fluffy steamed exterior, some pulled pork or pork belly, and a bit of sweet sauce.
But executing this dish well is hard. Too often, the exterior is chewy or rubbery. The inside is super salty or worse, bland.
Dumpling Time, though, executes this simple dish perfectly. I love to stop at their San Ramon, California location and get their steamed bao with my kids.
For starters, their dumplings are hand-made. There’s a little window at the back of the restaurant where you can watch a staff member meticulously hand-forming them.
They’re also perfectly cooked and served right out of the steamer. This makes for a light, airy, marshmallow-like exterior that’s fluffy, piping hot and not at all chewy.
The dumplings’ filling has powerful Umami flavors and a perfect sweetness. The barbecue flavor truly comes through in Dumpling Time’s bao, there’s a subtle smokiness; you’re not just hit over the head with salt.
I like to dip my pork bao in chili oil and a bit of soy sauce. It soaks into the fluffy exterior like a sponge and is the perfect offset or balance to the sweet interior.
You get three buns in an order, which makes the cost around $4 each. A bit steep, yes, but so worth it!
My kids love Dumpling Time. Their favorite are the soup dumplings. But for me, those classic steamed pork bao are the clear winner every time.
Check out Dumpling Time at City Center in San Ramon.
