The humble bao has been given a make over

has come a long way from the simple stuffed, steamed buns that were traditionally ordered as dim sum or picked up from street vendors. In Hong Kong, they have recently become the go-to comfort food and have undergone a transformation with new creative fillings inspired by East and West.

Little Bao on Staunton Street was probably the first place to popularise the modernised steamed buns. Taking a cue from a trend that started in New York, chef and co-owner May Chow reports the reservation-free spot has had queues of diners since she opened Little Bao four months ago.

"We're such a small restaurant that it's easier for us to engage with and understand our customers. We get a range of clientele from 16-year-old students to bankers. Students can just order an ice cream sandwich if they want," she says.

Little Bao has about a dozen menu items including sweet-soy-braised pork belly, pickled leek and cucumber sauce; braised shiitake tempeh with truffle mayonnaise; and green tea ice cream with condensed milk bao. Savoury baos are served in between two steamed white buns, while the dessert baos are sandwiched between fried buns.

There are some interesting sides such as mac and cheese - actually cheung fun (steamed rice rolls) smothered with mentaiko cheese sauce and Japanese breadcrumbs. Also on the menu is orange chicken - deep-fried chicken tossed with salted egg yolk, honey and orange zest.

While the majority of the customers are first-timers curious to see if the place lives up to the hype, Chow is willing to vary things for regulars, including one customer who likes to have his pork belly bao deep fried, to further intensify the flavours.