To all lovers of pau and other Chinese steamed delights out there, this is where you'd want to be! From a delish Braised Pork Rice to quite possibly the best Char Siew Pau I've ever had, this is fast becoming my go-to place for affordable and delicious comfort food.
At any typical coffee shop, Chinese steamed delights the likes of steamed buns (paus), Chicken Glutinous Rice (Lor Mai Gai), and Steamed Rice with Char Siew and Egg (Fan Choy) are easily overlooked food options, with only a limited presence in a small transparent steamer by the coffee counter.
But at Sheng Hui Coffee Shop, the paus are the protagonists. And actually, not just the paus, but also the other delicious steamed dishes on the menu of Zhen Zheng Handmade Pau. This is one of Zhen Zheng's three outlets and possibly the most established one that has been around in this age-old neighbourhood for more than 10 years.
Located right next to the HDB Sims Drive branch and a stone's throw away from the Sims Vista Market & Food Centre, this coffee shop in which Zhen Zheng operates is totally nondescript and I actually almost didn't take a peek into it when I walked past. But then, the delicious aromas that wafted through the air from the traditional bamboo steamers in their kitchen made me stop to check it out.
And boy, it didn't disappoint!
Delish Braised Pork Rice
Above left: Chunks of flavoursome, tender, and juicy lean braised pork abounds
Above right: Half a braised egg goes into the Braised Pork Rice
The first thing that caught my eye here — and it's also the dish that most customers are buying off the steamers — is the Braised Pork Rice. In fact, as I was placing my order for it, there were only two portions left, and a woman queuing behind me asked if I was going to buy that? Hahah, fastest fingers first!
And it's popular for a good reason. At just $2.80, the Braised Pork Rice is almost like a full meal, filled with generous chunks of flavourful, tender, and juicy lean braised pork that are so well braised.
The meat has a perfect lean-to-fat ratio, with quite a fair amount of lean meat, which is right up my alley. I'm not that much of a pork fat fan, except when it's roasted or baked till crispy, but the pork fat in the Braised Pork Rice was so soft that it literally melted in my mouth even before I could take it out. Oh my pork! Mmm mmm mmm!
It's also worth mentioning that the rice in this dish is perfectly cooked, unlike the soggy rice you'd usually find in a typical Fan Choy, due to over-steaming. So it's just like you're eating a fresh plate of steamed rice topped with generous portions of delish braised pork, and half a braised egg to make it even more wholesome.
Quite possibly the best Char Siew Pau I've ever had
Above: Shreds of delicious smokey Char Siew bathed in a sweet-umami red sauce
Honestly, I didn't set out with any expectation for the Char Siew Pau. In fact, I ordered it only because it's one of the usual suspects you'd find in a stall like this. But it turned out to be a real gem, and at only $1 each.
Bathed in a delicious sweet-umami red sauce, the shreds of Char Siew in the pau tastes really smokey, as if they're just being taken off a barbeque rack. I promise, this is quite possibly the best Char Siew Pau I've ever had!
Pork Pau with an intense aroma of Shaoxing Wine
Above left: A generous mound of tender, juicy, and well-marinated minced pork with an intense aroma of Shaoxing Wine
Above right: So there's the other half of the egg I was missing!
The Pork Pau, otherwise known as the "Big Pau", is another tender piece of joy for me!
The moment I broke it open, an intense waft of Shaoxing Wine gushed towards me. And that scored a "wow!" from me. It smells so good! Inside the pau, the generous mound of minced meat was really tender and juicy, and truly flavoursome. And in there, I found the other half of the egg I was missing from the Braised Pork Rice. Hahah!
Oriental version of Pigs in a Blanket
With Braised Pork Rice comes Braised Pork Pau.
Who could ignore this delicious snack on the go — which I affectionately nicknamed "the oriental version of Pigs in a blanket" — that's filled with generous portions of delicious, tender braised pork, with chunks of the lean cuts.
At just $2, that's really a steal for a hearty snack like this!
Affordable comfort food
For generations, paus and other Chinese steamed delights have been favourite breakfast dishes or tea-time snacks that are perceived as playing second fiddle to other mainstream dishes. Some people, like myself, however, see it as a type of comfort food.
While the run-of-the-mill Chinese steamed delights that are sold peripherally at most coffee shops deserve to be overlooked, those served at this humble stall shouldn't be underrated. And being ever so affordable to the masses, it probably deserves more patrons.
So head over to grab these really affordable and delicious comfort food at Zhen Zheng Handmade Pau, if you happen to be in the vicinity!
Locate it
Address:
Zhen Zheng Handmade Pau
Sheng Hui Coffee Shop
Block 45 Sims Drive
#01-150 Singapore 380045
(2 other outlets available)
Operating Hours:
Opens daily except Tuesdays,
6 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Call:
9838 6123
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