Maxim’s Bakery
Maxim’s Bakery
Several locations across Metro Vancouver
Unit 161 – 4800 Kingsway (Metrotown – Location visited)
Pork buns, cha siu bao, call it whatever you want, when you hear it, you know it is a staple of Chinese bakeries. With such a large Chinese population in Metro Vancouver, you would expect a good deal of these bakeries – and the largest one of all being Maxim’s Bakery.
Sorry for the low quality of this picture; it was taken with my cell-phone
I was in Metrotown doing some grocery shopping when hunger stroke. Never, ever do grocery shopping when your stomach is rumbling; else, you will regret it! Fortunately, I was almost done with my grocery shopping and it was a matter of going home and prepare something. Or should I? Since Maxim’s Bakery was right there, hey, why not!
I got 6 pieces, three beef curry bun and 3 pork bun. They were cheaper than the one I had at New Town Bakery during Chinese New Year ($1.25 vs. $0.80) and, instead of steamed, they were baked. But, food is food!
Pork bun is the round one (left) and the beef curry bun is the elongated one (right)
Before I continue, a reminder. This is the pork bun I got from New Town Bakery during Chinese New Year:
And this is the pork but from Maxim’s:
I am not sure if my expectations were high or my hunger overrode my senses – to put it simply, it was sub-par. Sure, it was under a loonie and my expectations should be proportional to what I paid. But, proportional it was not. I was not even a third of the one from New Town’s.
The beef curry bun did not do any better. The beef barely had any curry taste, it seems it was mostly for colouring purposes. As for the rest, it had similar “flaws” as the pork bun’s. The only saving grace between these two is that it is slightly better after you microwave them.
Overall, I will have to give Maxim’s a thumbs down. It had great potential given the amount of customers – they even use ticket numbers to prevent ordering chaos and queue jumping. However, this is for the buns only; their pastries were better, though still far from my favourite bakery: Fratelli…
Now that looks more like the pork buns I end up seeing around town. It makes the New Town Bakery version that much more enticing.
Raidar, that post was for you, to show not all pork buns sold here are like New Town’s!
Yes, the steamed buns from New Town are awesome! However, I do love the coconut buns (similar to the ones that are like butterhorn buns?) from Maxim. They remind me of the old butterhorns available from the old BC Royal Cafe from the Chinatown from the good old days.
At least you get the nice fluffy, steamed option. I’m going to have to look harder around town! You and your delicious choices *raises fist in air*
Scooby, welcome! I have a love/hate relationship with other buns. I will take your word for itand give it a try one of these days.
Every time I eat at Maxim’s I feel sick. Once I threw up from their food. The buns with meat in them are not kept chilled or warm. Beware…