The first bao we ever served in our restaurants used a fluffy pancake like bun we folded around the filling. They looked & tasted beautiful, but made a mess when you ate them. We thought this was a problem without a solution. Afterall, some things are just messy, the taste was worth it. That was until a winter trip to Tokyo, where we saw clear steaming chests filled with hot snacks dotted all over the city. There was one thing in particular that caught our eye; a perfect round bao bun called a Nikuman. When making a Nikuman the dough is folded & sealed around the filling before being steamed. This locks in the flavour & means you can confidently eat the bun with one hand. Same incredible taste, no mess. Our transition was swift.