Fried Eggplant and Tofu
Barbecue Pork Fried Rice
Baked Barbecue Pork Buns
I realized that a lot of my go-to restaurants never make it on the blog. Maybe it's because I get my orders for pickup or delivery, which implies a less attractive presentation than a dish eaten in-house. Well, since everything is to-go now, I might as well actually share my staples! Tao Yuen Pastry, a Chinese bakery located on Franklin and 9th in Chinatown, has become one of those places. A few weeks ago, my friend introduced me to their well-priced selection of entrees and dim sum and we've gone three or four times since.
I've come to really like their baked barbecue pork buns, a classic order of mine at a Chinese bakery. The fluffy bun has that interesting papery texture and is filled with the soupy barbecue pork. I also love the fried eggplant and tofu; the eggplant is buttery and the tofu has a lot of flavor. I've added the barbecue pork fried rice to my list and it will become a part of my recurring order as well. Visit Tao Yuen for the Chinese staples you're looking for at very good prices—my two entrees and two buns came to less than $12.
Next time, I want to try some of the other dim sum options like the pork or shrimp dumplings or the fried noodles. If you've visited Tao Yuen recently, what do you recommend trying?
Tao Yuen Pastry
816 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94607
Open: Daily 8am - 6pm
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