Waraporn Salapao – Bangkok’s Delicious Homemade Buns

Remember that lady in Taiwan who appeared in the news for holding on to her pau for dear life as she braved the storm? Well, you will not have to do that here at Waraporn Salapao because it offers a safe space that will protect your paos from the harshest of weathers in Bangkok, Thailand.

Famous for their homemade steamed buns, Waraporn Salapao began as a small steamed bun shop on the Nang Lerng Neighbourhood in 1992. Currently, there are more than 70 branches across Bangkok. Recommended by our local Thai guide driver, team Tam Chiak visited the original Waraporn Salapao branch.

The shop is recognisable by its red and white sign illustrating a steamed bun, so look out for that when you traverse the streets to find this eatery. Its interior resembles a somewhat modern day dim sum house that comfortably sits about 20 people.

True enough, the white buns were steamed to a soft and pillowy texture. Their steamed buns were all made in-house as well, so you are guaranteed quality buns which taste like heaven. Pair the bun with the variety of fillings offered in the shop and you’ll fall straight into Pao-radise! Buns like this are always a delight to have with a cup of tea, or in this case, a cup of milky Cha Yen. 

Available ONLY at Waraporn in the whole of Bangkok is the Green Curry with Chicken Bun (22 Baht), which was recommended by our driver. To our dismay, it ran out of stock. If that happens, you can still order the Green Curry with Chicken served with Buns (50baht for small, 90 baht for large). While the former supposedly has green curry chicken filled within its pillowy case, the latter has a bowl of green curry chicken served alongside three (or more) steamed buns. Fragrant as it was, the green curry wasn’t as thick as I liked it to be. It delivered an enjoyable spicy kick that left as quickly as it entered our mouths. It’s herb-y notes melded well with the soft buns. As for the chicken, it was pretty mediocre though.

The Ground Pork Bun (22Baht) resembles that of our big pao, albeit having a drier meat filling. There’s a slight peppery taste to the meat. You’ll find a quarter of an egg inside too. Nothing too fancy, but this pao is a good option to have for a fuss-free afternoon snack.

What is interesting here is the Pandan Paste Served with Buns (50 baht). The custard-like texture on the pandan paste is smooth and fragrant, but it gets rather cloying after repeatedly dipping your buns in. Underlying the paste is a surprisingly subtle tea undertone, which pairs excellently with the cup of cha yen (35 baht) which doesn’t taste as sweet as it sounds. Best to share the pandan paste with a group of friends!

If you’re craving for a delicious, convenient delicatessen while exploring Bangkok, why not make a short visit to Waraporn? They will definitely make your afternoons in Bangkok a bit better.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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