London's most famous pork buns
Nestled in the kitschy heart of London's Chinatown, Kowloon is a well-known bakery/restaurant that's packed all day long with tourists and locals clamoring to get their hands on the freshly-baked Chinese buns for which Kowloon is famous. As you approach, you're greeted by a massive display window piled high with everything from traditional red bean paste buns to more unexpected treats like Portuguese Pastels de Belem and Spanish churros.
I'd suggest skipping the restaurant part entirely and heading straight for the bakery. My favorites are the barbecued pork buns, fluffy rolls stuffed full of meaty chunks of roast pork and a sweet-savory Hoisin sauce. If you get them cold, it's a perfect on-the-go snack to fuel another hour or two of sightseeing. If you're lucky enough to get one hot out of the oven, it's a revelation. These are definitely NOT the doughy, under-stuffed buns found at your neighborhood Chinese-run grocery. These buns are about the size of a burger with subtly-sweet bread and a very generous filling of savory pork heaven. In fact, on the last few bites, you're likely to have more filling than bread!
