Hot Asian Buns — Restaurant in Sanford

PAY ATTENTION to what I am about to say. I went for the first time last night. Let me explain something to the reader: I was born and raised in New Orleans, my father was a chef for over 20 years, I have traveled the world spanning four continents; not trying to flex - but I have experience with GOOD food is what I'm trying to convey. Hand to God, and I swear on everything special in my life - the pork belly confit is not only the BEST bao bun I have ever eaten, it is in the top 3 greatest things I have ever eaten in all my years (in no particular order one is the stuffed Qual at Commanders Palace in New Orleans and the other is a pork trotter pastry in Ronda, Spain). With that being said, it would be a crime for me to not mention the Kim-chi fries. Have you ever heard that term "getting lost in the food"? I literally did. Forgot I had two uneaten bao buns. Service was was great, charming, and friendly. What an amazing culinary experience. It was me and my girls 3 year anniversary that night and y'all made it a night to remember. Definitely will be back! One hundred trillion out of ten. I could literally write a novel about how good this meal was. Worth...

This amazing place started out as a beloved food truck! If you didn't get there early, you'd find yourself at the back of a couple hours line, hoping things didn't sell out, lol. To me the super star on the menu are the various types of filling wrapped in delicious, homemade bao buns. All of them are mouth watering. My favorite is the pork belly bao. Fast forward to now, Hot Asian Buns is a brick and mortar restaurant in the heart of the cute, downtown Sanford area! My first stop to the restaurant, I ordered the Lacquered pork belly confit bowl and one pork belly bao, with a Thai Iced Tea. The soy marinated egg that comes with the bowl was a great addition to the super fresh ingredients like, cilantro, preserved mustard greens, pickled onion and fried shallots, over the tender, lacquered pork belly and steaming rice. This place gives me a happy belly, every single time! Don't forget to try the yummy loaded kimchi fries. I think next time I'll give those Fish Sauce Caramel and Soy Garlic...

I've been a fan of Hot Asian Buns since their food truck days, and their recent opening of a permanent location in Sanford is fantastic news for food lovers! It was truly love at first bite many years ago, and their food has consistently been outstanding. I highly recommend trying their shrimp bao ( my favorite!) - the shrimp is always cooked perfectly! The Korean BBQ chicken and beef brisket baos are packed with flavor, and the pork is equally delicious. And if you're a fan of loaded fries, their kimchi fries are a must-order. They all have a mild to moderate heat (keep tissues nearby!) The buns are a cloud of soft, slightly sweet goodness! Their bao buns are incomparable! Their prices are very reasonable! It's wonderful to see a successful food truck transition to a brick-and-mortar, and Hot Asian Buns has definitely earned it. If you're in the Sanford area, make sure to...