Baozi Inn pork buns were my choice for a quick takeaway stop in London’s Chinatown in this 2016 film. Red lanterns hung across the street, the wind made filming a challenge, and the smell of food made it difficult to walk past without ordering something.

This short film was published on 23 September 2016. The footage comes from my longer Chinatown and Chinese New Year visit, so the lanterns belong to that earlier outing. This is an archive account of the food and neighbourhood at the time.

Finding the takeaway kitchen

I began by pointing out a stretch of buildings under redevelopment. There had been street-food stalls there until recently, although Chinatown still offered plenty of places to eat. Nearby Jen Cafe brought back memories of watching dumplings being made in the window on a previous visit.

This time, however, I had buns in mind. Baozi Inn’s restaurant and its kitchen and takeaway were next to each other. You could queue for a seat inside or order something to carry away. I chose the takeaway option: two smaller pork buns and a larger steamed pork bun.

Tasting the Baozi Inn pork buns

Outside, I found a spot beneath the lanterns to try the food. It was very windy, and holding the camera while handling hot buns was not the neatest way to conduct a food review. Still, the first bite made the stop worthwhile.

The pork was delicious. The bread had a little sweetness, although the overall flavour was mainly savoury. The smaller buns also contained greens, which gave the filling a welcome contrast in texture.

Next came the larger steamed pork bun. Its folded top and generous size made it quite a different-looking snack. I tasted that too, then compared it with the smaller buns. Both went down well, but the greens in the smaller ones gave them the edge for me.

A quick Chinatown food stop

That was the appeal of this visit: a few buns to eat outside while enjoying the bustle of Chinatown. Rather than settling in for a restaurant meal, I could try something savoury and then carry on looking around. I was already thinking about cakes from one of the nearby bakeries.

For another stop from the archive, see my visit for warm taiyaki cakes at Chinatown Bakery. A separate visit to Baozi Inn for five spicy skewers shows a different side of its takeaway food.

Watch the original film

The short film follows the walk to Baozi Inn, the takeaway order and the tasting outside. It was edited from my longer Chinatown and Chinese New Year film.