Hua Ji Bao Dang has affordable dim sum at Bukit Merah

I have a soft spot for handmade bao. Growing up, bao was always a staple breakfast and snack item in my house. Be it the frozen supermarket ones or the famous Tanjong Rhu char siew bao that regularly made its way to our dining table when my dad was in the mood to queue, the humble bao holds many happy childhood memories for me.

Hua Ji Bao Dang is a small family-run business in Bukit Merah that has been around since 1988. Located on one end of 115 Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre, this hawker stall specialises in handmade bao and dim sum at wallet-friendly prices.

Run by second-generation owners Mr Tang and his wife, everything is done by hand, from the kneading of the bao skin to most of the fillings. The tedious process begins at 5am, and continues through the morning even after the stall opens at 7am—that’s how you know the goodies are fresh.