On a recent trip to the Kansai region of Japan, I once again found myself buying some take out butaman (a pork nikuman) from a famous chain store called 551 Horai.
 |
| My mouth waters every time I see someone carrying this bag |
 |
| Butaman |
The first time I tried it was in 2010 when a tour guide on one of my trips to Japan recommended the 551 (Go Go Ichi) located in Kyoto Station. Up until then I had only tried convenience store nikuman which although were still delicious, the buns seemed a little too light and airy to me. Growing up in a city where there are many immigrants from Hong Kong, the steamed bun I knew had a denser, chewier texture. 551 Horai gets this part right in my eyes! The thick, dense dough has bite when it is steamed. Even when eaten the next day, you can just steam it again and it comes out the same as eating a freshly bought bun. The filling is reminiscent of the convenience store pork buns, soft and mushy, but that is for the most part how the Japanese like it; moist and juicy in the mouth.
 |
| The best pork bun in Japan |
551 Horai also sells gyoza and shiu-mai with a similar filling, making for a flavourful mouth bite. Both are popular as well as the chimaki (steamed sticky rice in a leaf). If you're in Osaka, Kyoto or Kobe, try this takeout store for a snack or a casual dinner in your hotel room. You'll get a sense of how the Japanese like their Chinese food.
Area: Various Locations. This time visited: Namba Station in Osaka, なんば駅、大阪
Shop: 551 Horai
Map and Website: http://www.551horai.co.jp/shop/map_nanba.html
Hours: depend on the location
No comments:
Post a Comment