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Been coming here for ages. Big awesome steamed buns, everytime I am near Chinatown I have to make a pitstop and I always get carried away. Filling up stacked boxes of steamed buns. They have lots of baked stuff too but that stuff can usually be picked up anywhere.
Its usually busy, but they have enough staff for the bun takeout where you aren't waiting at all.
Dined inside a couple times, its cheap and they have specials. Kind of typical Chinese too bright cafeteria feel which sucks. and the service kind of sucks.
I want a sausage bun right now. Too bad I dined in and stuffed myself, couldnt bring myself to bring a box home.
Its all about the buns!
Well I really loved its signature Siopao's(meat bread dumpling) and Chinese rice cakes(very nicely made, one of the best). The only downside is the service. The female server is really nice and I gave her a 20 percent tip. The Chinese male is probably one of the worst servers I have ever seen, very surly, never smiiles and is very curt. I had to shout at him in order to get my order through. the value is solid and cheap for the food quality.
I dropped on by before braving the DT crowd - it's my first visit in over a decade and I'm more confused now as to why I don't come here on a regular basis.
Buns are packed with filling; the apple tarts were a fresh batch so you could truly enjoy the flaky crust and warm apple filling. The filling in the pork bun was moist with a welcoming greasiness that melted in your mouth with each bite. You could easily satisfy your bun cravings with only one.
Service is a little disjointed. Even though they have signs at both ends of the counter telling customers to line up, it ends up much like a traffic jam with line cutters sneaking by, but the staff are efficient and deal with the rush with poise.
Decor is not their strong suite, it's through and through the classic chinese environment but the faces on the customers speak for NTB themselves.
I thought I had found the best buns in town before - these I believe rank supreme.
Mrs. C and I were in Chinatown and looking for a quick bite when I reminded her that we could also use some steamed buns. We hit NBR for a double shot of snacks. The line-up for buns was biblical, so we decided to fight our way through the throng of hungry Filipino bun-lovers and get a table instead. Service was brusque to put it kindly, but we kind of expected that. I wouldn’t smile if I worked here either. As for ambience, it was the same as last time (i.e. run down and disturbingly orange) but it looked like the boss bought a new mop because the floor was much cleaner than I remembered from my last sit-down meal here. I didn’t have the courage to look at the w/c.
I had the delicious beef with noodles (special plate “A”) for six bucks, and upgraded to an iced coffee beverage for a buck more. I also thought about takeout, but that costs an extra 50 cents : (. My beloved shopping companion had HK style French toast which was reported to be great, and not expensive. She went with iced tea, but soon realized that coffee with condensed milk would have been a better choice. As for price, the whole meal cost 13 bucks. That was a very good deal. We plan on getting our buns some day when the line-up is shorter.
Apple tarts, egg pie, and steamed buns are always a must when visiting New Town Bakery and Restaurant in Chinatown. Service is great. The place looks really rundown and seedy. Whenever I go there I make it a point not to look too closely at the walls, ceiling, or floors. I like this place and don't want to scare myself into never returning.
I came by here from a recommendation of a coworker to try the coconut buns or something. Instead I tried their apple tarts (kind of odd considering it's a very Chinese bakery) but they were oh so good. I must have been lucky and gotten them super fresh. It was so flaky and buttery and warm, with the sweet apple sauce inside. My mouth just watered thinking about it again.
Anyways, there wasn't a line up luckily and I just got apple tarts. The place could definitely use a nice clean up but I will DEFINITELY be back soon.
Once every couple of years when I have a craving for their old fashioned--what I can only assume is Asian-style--apple turnovers (they call tarts or pie) though I've never managed to finish an entire one myself. They've managed to keep it consistently the tasty and different from what you get in most other bakeries. The buns are large though the prices make up for that, so in the end, it's not any kind of a deal, really. I don't go there for that though. And then again, it's been many many many years since I've actually sat inside. That aside, I would definitely recommend a quick run in & out to try out the apple turnover/pie.
On the occasion that I visit Chinatown, this place is great to grab a quick snack. The have great steamed buns, especially the deluxe one with everything in it. Meat, egg, veggies...all in one doughy bundle. Nice and cheap too.
As a kid, I always liked the really old school dessert/bun/steamed stuff my great grandmother gave me to eat. I'll always remember my favorite steamed buns, steamed white sugar dessert and apple tarts. Having found all that at New Town I don't need to go anywhere else.
If you buy from the front counter, the service is pretty fast. If you choose to eat at the restaurant, it's a bit ghetto but you'll just get to eat it there.
Besides the original Chinatown location, there is another store in Surrey off of the Surrey Central skytrain station. Same stuff as Chinatown but way less people!
New Town delivers old time flair that keeps me going back.=)
They make the best apple tarts in the world (in my humble opinion of course). I grew up eating apple tarts from another local chinatown bakery that closed down about 30 years ago. Needless to say, those tarts were greatly missed as the gentleman who owned the bakery didn't share the recipe with anyone! Many tried, but none matched the wonder of those tarts. Years and years later, my parents tell me that someone had located the old gentleman and persuaded him to part with the recipe. Lo and behold, the return of the apple tart! Now, I'm not sure if that's a true story or not, but this is a very close replica of those original tarts I remember so well from my childhood. Whenever we're in Chinatown for dim sum, we always truck across the street for a box of these sweet treats. The hubby, who never had one of these until I came along, loves them. Not too sweet and a light pastry. Service can be hit or miss,.. they're usually quite slammed in there with a large crowd in front of the display cases, but they're quick. Don't go in expecting service with a smile... efficient but not warm a fuzzy for these busy folks. The steamed buns are also amazingly tasty and when you get them piping hot... wow! They almost beat mom's homemade ones (but don't tell mom that). Pastries like the pineapple buns, bbq pork buns and all your traditional chinese pastries are good. Fresh and very tasty. Value is great for what you get. Ambience is what it is. A busy pastry shop with no time or budget for fuss and decoration. If you can handle brisk service and can live without a beaming smile from your server, you'll get some good nibblies.
I went to the one in Richmond. It's a small store. I assume the selections are probably less than the one in China town? (never been to the one in China town) However the food tastes great and it's good value.
Food tastes great. They are in decent size and inexpensive. There are a few seats in the store but I prefer just pay and go. The store is in a square mall. Parking is easy, just park right in front of store. It's very convenient for grabbing a quick bite.
There is no ambiance because it's a small store with no decor. But who cares if you just pay and go.
Service is OK. I don't have a problem with it. You just tell the lady what you want and she will get them for you and let you pay. It's a smooth transaction and no fuzz. I don't really care the staff smiles or not. It's all good.
(The title of this review is more of a Chinese saying.) New Town Bakery isn't really the kind of place to sit and dine; it has that 70's diner feeling, with it's orange / yellow booth seats, downstairs smorgasboard, and its curly-haired waitresses.
But the buns are always steaming hot and good. We *always* ~$20 worth while we're down there for the week, as well as some to freeze for later.
This is the kind of place that you don't go to for friendly service or great ambience. It has neither. HOWEVER the PRAWN TURNOVERS are literally to die for. It has become a ritual with my bros and me to stop there on our adventures to Chinatown. The prawn turnovers are stuffed full of shrimp in a neat type of pastry I have never seen before. Everyone I have taken there have them always want to come back for more. The service however can be frustrating, sometimes even rude, but it is worth it to get these great turnovers.
Not fine dining just good simple food,Claen and reasonable good soups lemon chicken with good sauce reasonable d im sum .A little noisey old men talking in loud voice .Con they dont take interact .Cash only My wife taught home ec in the phillipines and loves the buns. we shall return again soon.order buns to take out
Drop by on regular basis, say every other week or so to this bakery. Food products are continually consistant. They offer various varieties of steamed bun products. I usually pick up a 1/2 to a doz. They also have dumpling type,egg rolls and sweet tarts. All are pretty good and are worth it if you like those types of items. Pender Street store better though.
Not really a place to dine, but they have a few tables to sit at. Mostly they really are a bakery. Still haven't found better buns with varieties.
I absolutely agree with the person who talked about “Apple Tart Mystery Solved!!!”. The apple tarts at New Town aren’t bad. I probably would like them more if I hadn’t have been spoiled with the old recipe from the owner’s of the Hong Kong Café. We used to know one of the proprietors and he would make them and they would be brought over as a gift when a family member visited us. They were a real treat because they were such a rarity. The ones at New Town are like puff pastry, like a regular turnover. But the HK café pastry was like a cross between pie crust and puff and the filling was homemade.
Yes, New Town has the best BBQ pork buns. What makes it is their filling and the moist and slightly sweet dough. I think the dough is yeast risen, not the baking powder type. The key to the filling is in the sauce and in the cut of meat. It’s not as good if it’s only lean meat. You have to have a bit of fat in there too. I had it once with lean meat and was turned off but I tried it again and it was back to normal. In general the menu is solid.
How do I put this?
Well... the steamed buns are so good! Whichever one you pick is really good. I've been getting steamed buns from here for years except... This one time, and the last time, I was eating a steamed bun, adding my sauce to it for more flavour, enjoying every chew... but something poked at my gums and my tongue. I picked it out of my mouth and I couldn't believe my eyes! It was an unmistakable cockroach leg!!!!!!
When I was a child my father used to bring me to the Cafe across the street. Can't remember the name of it now but they used to have the best apple tarts. When the cafe closed down I didn't know where to go for them but discovered that New Town Bakery has the recipe for them. They are fantastic. They're about $1 each but the best darn apple tarts in town. Don't know much about the other food they serve or their other baked goods - I only went there to pick up some apple tarts.
The vegetable buns and chicken steam bun were better than T&T dim sum. They were decent size. The bun part was especially delicious, soft, and moist. The huge sesame balls were very very good. Be sure to try one of those bad boys.
The service was horrible. The servers were rude. Just purchase the goods and eat somewhere else that serve better tea.
o- ya. The place only takes cash.
Newtown bakery; a location favorite nestled in the heart of historic chinatown was the destination for a late afternoon snack. Serving a varied of baked goods and dim sum items, one can have it all at this bakery. But lets get serious, I was here for reason and one reason only, and that was their famous "Steam Bun". These suckers are made right in front of your eyes, coming in a variety of flavors, from salty and saviour pork, to sweet and sugary black bean paste and of course lotus. I went for the black bean bun and was not disappointed. Right out of the steamer, the dough is so soft and fluffy for the first couple minutes that.. well really words can not describe. This caused me to finish mine in around 2 minutes. I took 2 home and ate them later, and they were not nearly as good as they were fresh. I also got some "new moon pies" in red bean flavor and they were great as well. Oh yeah and my bill was around 5 bucks for all this!
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