The first encounter with Tanjong Rhu Pau goes back a couple of years when the ex-boss would buy breakfast for the department and got me and a few others to be "Dimsum Dollies", going round the office distributing these lil paus.
Largely due to location, I've never patronized their stall till an adhoc visit out of whim.
Paper boxes neatly folded...it made buying pau in quantities lesser than the box could take a heinous sin.
Trays of petites...
The staff is almost rude, if not brusque..almost as if you intruded into their routine way of doing things by making a purchase. Go after 12 if you want a fuller range of dimsum, else risk a tactless retort for arriving too early. Strangely reminiscent of the authentic service in Hongkong Teahouses.
Char Siew Pau ($0.60)
These should be heralded the smallest paus ever in dimsum history...smaller than a plump xiaolongbao at Din Tai Fung's even. Bite-size, morsel, cute...you may call it but one would need at least 5 of these to even satisfy the hunger. Now you get why people buy these in boxes.
The proportion of pau and meat is evenly distributed. Peer beyond the meat you'd get thick starchy sauce more than meat. Two bites was all I took and it was gone. Poof.
I like meat where I can see and taste it, for Tanjong Rhu Pau...it defies that, completely.
Po Lo Bun ($1)
Comparatively more generous with the meat though the same 50-50 proportions come to play. It amused me knowing the ingredients are further evenly divided 50-50, one side of the bun had solely onions, the other diced char siew. Unimpressed by the bun, the sweetness of the Po Lo Bun was lost when eaten with the char siew.
Overpriced is what Tanjong Rhu Pau is for me with regards to these two items. If time or luck ever permits, the Yuan Yang Pau seems interesting! A combination of White Lotus Paste and Red Bean Paste...!
Food pictures taken with Nikon D5000.
Tanjong Rhu Pau & Confectionery
389 Guillemard Road
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