I can’t find a good Pineapple BBQ pork bun anymore 😭

Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun 🤤

First, what is a Pineapple Bun?

Pineapple Bun with Butter at a Cha Chaan Teng (茶餐廳)

A Pineapple Bun (菠蘿包) is a sweet bun that originated from Hong Kong, but is now widely available in countries with high Chinese populations. It's a sweet bun baked with a yellow crust that looks delightfully pineapple-y.

I remember eating this bao as a kid, whether for breakfast or lunch. The bun is so soft, and the crust texture with it is just so right 🤤

These days they can be purchased at Cha Chaan Teng (茶餐廳) — usually with a chunk of butter inside (not joking) — Chinese bakeries, and at East Asian grocery stores (though they are not as fresh). And my kids have now taken to eating them a lot too, usually purchased from a Chinese bakery (Lucullus Bakery in the Toronto area).

Steam BBQ Pork bao at Dim Sum

Ok then, what is a BBQ Pork Bao?

Another traditional Chinese food item, usually eaten at Dim Sum.

Basically it's a steamed bao stuffed with Chinese BBQ pork inside. Chinese BBQ Pork, also know as Char Siu (叉燒)is pre-marinated slightly sweetened pork that has it’s distinct red colour on the outside of the meat. The bao is usually a steamed white version, and it comes out during Dim Sum freshly steamed.

You can spot a legit Chinese food lover by whether they can handle the BBQ Pork bao with bare hands while it's still steaming hot. Because I know I can 😊

Ok so now, what is a Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun?

As with all food invention, someone decided to mix both of the above together and made it into one of the best tasting foods of all time!

Chinese BBQ pork already has a slightly sweet taste to it. But now inside a Pineapple bun, the whole thing becomes an amazing sweet and savory flavour that takes it to another level.

Pineapple BBQ Pork bun is usually served at restaurants during Dim Sum. I've yet to find it at a Chinese bakery and don't think I've seen it at a Cha Chaan Teng yet — but they serve so many different food varieties, it's possible.

The issue is, Pineapple BBQ Pork bun is getting scarce for some reason in Toronto.

Bliss Chinese Restaurant - unfortunately closed now

I used to go to a Chinese restaurant near me called Bliss. They do Dim Sum and traditional Cantonese food. I went there often with family and friends.

And they made an amazing Pineapple BBQ Pork bun — large, soft, and the ratio of bun to BBQ pork was just right.

During the Covid lockdown, I continued to order takeout from them — it made my family feel like we were eating out, even though we were stuck at home.

But sadly, they closed down a year after Covid. My family was heartbroken. I even have team members I'd taken to Bliss who say they still miss the Pineapple BBQ Pork bun there.

And what's crazy is, this item — which was fairly popular at most Chinese restaurants — started to disappear more broadly.

I've definitely eaten it at other Chinese restaurants since, and while they may not have been as good as Bliss (smaller size, not the right ratio, etc.), at least it was available.

But over the last couple of years of going for Dim Sum, I can't find this item on the menu anymore. Some places have a variation — a baked BBQ Pork bun with a sweet crust — but it is NOT a Pineapple Bun. Maybe it's a product that is very hard to make. Maybe I was one of the few who really enjoyed it and the demand just isn't there.

For those of you who have yet to try a Pineapple Bun, a BBQ Pork Bao, or a Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun — go eat Dim Sum or visit a Chinese bakery. Before it's too late!

And for those in the Greater Toronto Area that knows a good place to get a good Pineapple BBQ Pork bun - let me know 😭