I agree. though it was a contest between Char Hung Sut and Libby's for awhile. A few years ago, we went there with some of my mainland friends, and I introduced them to all kinds of local dim sum. We went at 6:30 in the morning, so that they had not run out of anything, and watched the ladies making all the dumplings and other goodies. We were still on mainland time when we went, so it wasn't too early for us. I do miss those days.
Yup! Libby’s on Kalihi St my home town. I believe they closed down in 2014 or 2015? All the iconic eateries we grew up with are slowly going away. Very unfortunate. Thank goodness I have the memories.
@@maxfit68906 I know. To this day I miss the Crispy Gau Gee and Char Siu from Kelly's Coffee Shop. My mom used to teach Headstart at Kaumakapili Church just up the road in Palama in the 1960s when we first moved to Hawaii, and they brought her Libby's Manapua. We were hooked after that!
I like Chun Wah Kam Noodle Factory. The original is up the street from Libby's and now they have expanded all over Oahu so it is easier to get. Whenever I'm home that's where I go. Where I live in Southern CA I go to Hong Kong Bakery in Torrance and Tita Celia down the street for Fillipino food.
Use to pick 2 dozen, for work, bake manapua from Island Factory manapua in kalihi. OMG your making me hungry😂. Unfortunately we now live in Washington state, only available Chinese frozen. 🤨
Just came across your video today. Great job on it. I agree that Sing Cheong Yuan has the best manapua now. As for the best baked manapu, sorry I thought Kwong On in Kaimuki was better than Royal Kitchen. They've been close for 14 years now. The Star-Bulletin had a story about them closing way back in 2007. No char siu bao can compare with manapuas from Hawaii. Some are close, but not the same.
I wish I had known about it when it was around. I love manapua. I do agree with you that no char siu bao can compete. But when you're living on the mainland and you just need it, at least a char siu bao can kind of help with the craving.
@@steveandyoung We used to have a really good Chinese bakery in Pittsburg, CA that made the char siu bao filling similar to the Hawaii style, but unfortunately they sold the business. Now we have to drive all the way to Sacramento for some decent one. A majority of the SF and Oakland Chinatown char siu bao have an overly sweet and pasty filling. Yes, I'm a Hawaii manapua snob!
@@steveandyoung You know what got me when i first saw the mainland style steamed char siu bao? The top of the bun broken open. My first thought was, "What is wrong with this thing?" Then I bit into it. "What da heck this ting?"
Lived in Kailua before I was 4 years old. My first memories are there. I have never forgotten pulling over to a truck on the roadside and sharing a big manapua. Strong taste memory that has lasted over four decades. I've never found one on the mainland that even comes close. Did Aiea or Sing Cheong Yuan have less fat? Thank you for your video.
I had my first manapua from the crackseed department of Family Fair, the store that later became Gibson's. Began a lifetime love affair at that point. I would say that both Aiea Manapua and Sing Cheong Yuan were a good balance between fat and meat in the filling.
When I lived in Honolulu in the late 70s to early 80s, my favorite place for manapua was the counter outside the Holiday Mart (on Ke’eaumoku?). One steamed char sui manapua and two sui mai was a nice lunch. Now I’m hungry.
Was this the place near tripler in an industrial park? Late ‘80’s early ‘90’s. I remember going to one that was a walk-up window and getting some amazing Manapua there.
@@helenrogers6854 I remember the Holiday Mart manapuas. Takes me back to my childhood. BTW, we watched them walking on the moon at the TV section in that Holiday Mart.
I grew up in Aiea, at the top of the hill on Aiea Hts. The manapua man never made it up there, but after school. we always went to Kanda's and got really good manapuas. Also, in Waimalu Shopping Center, there used to be this old man with a dim sum shop, and he made the best dim sum (including manapuas).
I always thought it was a tie between Libby's and Char Hung Sut. But that one small shop in Waimalu Shopping Center (wish I could remember its name) that closed in the 1980s arguably beat both of them!
Since you like steamed manapua, the best "deal" in town would be Time Supermarket in Kam Shopping Center. Yes I know, you probably never been there or heard of it. Buy 5 manapua, get 1 free, plus the price is better than anyone out there. And the manapua is great.
I've been there and I;ve heard of it. In fact, I used to have a good friend who lived a few blocks away, at the end of Gulick Ave. I just never really felt that the Times Manapuas had a lot of flavor. But they are certainly well priced.
@@steveandyoung Regarding Char Hung Sut, I think there is more to the story besides the pandemic, the rumor is a family conflict or something. I hope they can resolve those issues, they had the best manapua in the state.
I do agree that none of these are as good as Libby's and Char Hung Sut were. In fact, there was a small shop in Waimalu Shopping Center in the early 80s that made the best I've ever tasted. But I could never permanently give up manapua. I guess it's like sex. Even a not so great manapua is better than no manapua. 😉
you don't have to rip the manapua open to determine what type it is. They usually mark the top of the bun with a dot, 2 dots, 3 dots, hash mark....depending on what type of filling is inside.
I prefer Chun Wah Kam overall. Tried Sing Cheong Yuan manapua earlier this year for 1st time after watching a review, nope i'd rather have Chun Wah Kam. Tried Royal Kitchen, Char Hun Sut, & Aiea's manapuas nope.
I guess it's a matter of personal taste. I certainly would not say no to any of them, and Chun Wah Kam is certainly very, very good. It's most convenient and closest to my house in Hawaii, so I usually get it at least once whenever I'm back on the island.
Yesterday I bought Sin's Manapua (Not bad IMO) some fat. Baked Manapua $2.35 (?) Steamed $2.45 I think I'll stick with Chun Wah Kam. $2.55 Baked Manapua
Never tried Sin's. Where is that? Personally, too much fat in the filling can turn me off. They need a good balance, and I want to feel the texture of the meat when I bite into it. Also, the softness and sweetness of the bun are key.
In the 60’s the Manapua man used to walk in my area of Kaimuki where I lived as a child with two large cans on either side of his shoulders hang down with a long maybe bamboo pole mounted on the back of his shoulders an elderly man maybe Chinese yelling out loudly, Manapua, Pepeau, half moon, maybe even rice cake. We would come out and buy what he was selling and buy it 3 Manapua for 25 cents 6 for 50 cents. Were you around in when the Manapua man was still walking the Kaimuki neighborhoods selling these delicious food, and I know this man worked very hard to sell these foods for the day. So if it was only up to the 50’s only, well that’s very wrong. I know for a fact I live it in those days, and I’m telling it from those days. Even my grade school classmates who were my neighbors in Kaimuki will remember that. FACT! Aloha ke akua.
I lived in downtown Honolulu in the early 60's, so there was no manapua man there. Used to get my manapua from the crack seed shop at Family Fair and (I think) Long's. In the late 60's, we moved to Aiea, and there was no manapua man there at that time. Used to get my manapua from Kanda's Store. But what a pleasure to be living on the island in the 1960s! BTW, the Manapua man was the original food delivery service on foot! Who needs apps when you have a man with a bamboo pole?
Char hung sut closed wasnt cuz the pandemic. I would still buy it there when they were opened. I think ifs cuz no 1 wanted to continue the business and they had a a family dispute
I didn't know that. I had been looking to go back there, but when the pandemic shutdown was over, no more Char Hung Sut. Oh, well. Royal Kitchen is still the best baked manapua, though. A little sweet, but it hits all the cravings.
Since libby's closed, my fave is char hun sut. Chun wah Kam is fine, but a little to doughy/bready for my taste. Prefer that light chewy libby's style bun Edit: damn, didn't realize char hun set closed down also. RIP, anyone have any suggestions for anywhere comparable to either of those places?
Not a fan of aiea manapua, once its cold, no good. Buggah dry. Gotta get em early in the am. Honolulu Kitchen is not either sorry. I do however, get the fried manapua with the Raiders painted on them for games. Check it out, they can draw anything on the manapua.
Honolulu Kitchen is more of a novelty. I still prefer steamed over all, and baked second. It's such a bummer. The concept of fried manapua really excited me, but it did not come through in the execution.
![MUST TRY LOCAL EATS: what is a MANAPUA? || [Oahu Hawaii] BBQ Chinese Pork Bun, Bao *Our Top Picks!*](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Hkb9vM8uQvA/mqdefault.jpg)
![MUST TRY LOCAL EATS: what is a MANAPUA? || [Oahu Hawaii] BBQ Chinese Pork Bun, Bao *Our Top Picks!*](/img/tr.png)
Char Hung Sut was the BEST Manapua shop on Oahu hands down. Unfortunately they closed down during the pandemic after being open for over 40+ years.
I agree. though it was a contest between Char Hung Sut and Libby's for awhile. A few years ago, we went there with some of my mainland friends, and I introduced them to all kinds of local dim sum. We went at 6:30 in the morning, so that they had not run out of anything, and watched the ladies making all the dumplings and other goodies. We were still on mainland time when we went, so it wasn't too early for us. I do miss those days.
Yup! Libby’s on Kalihi St my home town. I believe they closed down in 2014 or 2015? All the iconic eateries we grew up with are slowly going away. Very unfortunate. Thank goodness I have the memories.
@@maxfit68906 I know. To this day I miss the Crispy Gau Gee and Char Siu from Kelly's Coffee Shop. My mom used to teach Headstart at Kaumakapili Church just up the road in Palama in the 1960s when we first moved to Hawaii, and they brought her Libby's Manapua. We were hooked after that!
Meat to bun ratio is what I look for in a good manapua.
@@shakkazbra4984 I agree. Too much meat, or too much bun, makes the experience less pleasurable.
My favorite "Baked Manapua" is from Royal Kitchen!
Great minds think alike! Royal Kitchen's baked manapua is definitely a crowd-pleaser.
Char hung sut! Legends!
Gone, but not forgotten.
I like Chun Wah Kam Noodle Factory. The original is up the street from Libby's and now they have expanded all over Oahu so it is easier to get. Whenever I'm home that's where I go. Where I live in Southern CA I go to Hong Kong Bakery in Torrance and Tita Celia down the street for Fillipino food.
I agree. Their manapuas are actually quite good (and well-balanced), and they are now everywhere.
Agree
Royal Kitchen for the win! I love it. Chun Wa Kam is tasty too and convenient.
Royal Kitchen is very good. A little sweeter than the others, but I introduced my whole family to it when I came back home in the 1990s.
CWK is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.....I bought a few after Libbys closed.
@@lonelypigeon7562 Yeah, but when you gotta have a manapua... :-)
Aiea manapua shop my favorite. The fried chicken also ono grinds
Aloha Steve and Young. New subscriber ✨️🥂🍾
@@OrientalExotics Aloha! We love new subscribers! (as well as our old ones 😀)
Use to pick 2 dozen, for work, bake manapua from Island Factory manapua in kalihi. OMG your making me hungry😂. Unfortunately we now live in Washington state, only available Chinese frozen. 🤨
Never tried them. Is this the one off Gulick Ave.? We'll try them next trip.
Just came across your video today. Great job on it. I agree that Sing Cheong Yuan has the best manapua now. As for the best baked manapu, sorry I thought Kwong On in Kaimuki was better than Royal Kitchen. They've been close for 14 years now. The Star-Bulletin had a story about them closing way back in 2007. No char siu bao can compare with manapuas from Hawaii. Some are close, but not the same.
I wish I had known about it when it was around. I love manapua. I do agree with you that no char siu bao can compete. But when you're living on the mainland and you just need it, at least a char siu bao can kind of help with the craving.
@@steveandyoung We used to have a really good Chinese bakery in Pittsburg, CA that made the char siu bao filling similar to the Hawaii style, but unfortunately they sold the business. Now we have to drive all the way to Sacramento for some decent one. A majority of the SF and Oakland Chinatown char siu bao have an overly sweet and pasty filling. Yes, I'm a Hawaii manapua snob!
@@score2high Agreed. I went to school for 3 years in San Francisco, and never found a Char Siu Bao that even came close to a good manapua.
@@steveandyoung You know what got me when i first saw the mainland style steamed char siu bao? The top of the bun broken open. My first thought was, "What is wrong with this thing?" Then I bit into it. "What da heck this ting?"
@Marvin Miyashiro Yeah, I know, it's a poor substitute.😀
Liked and subscribed 👍love them manapua 🌺🤙🌺
Thank you!
Great review 👍🏼🤙🏼
Thank you. Like all island boys, I love Manapuas, and wanted to do them justice.
You are very informative. Idk how you got on my feed but I will be watching from Houston
Aloha to Houston from California! I have not been to Houston since I was 14, and spent a wondrous evening at Astroworld!
Thanks for the vid, I was looking for a replacement since char hung sut closed
Lived in Kailua before I was 4 years old. My first memories are there. I have never forgotten pulling over to a truck on the roadside and sharing a big manapua. Strong taste memory that has lasted over four decades. I've never found one on the mainland that even comes close. Did Aiea or Sing Cheong Yuan have less fat? Thank you for your video.
I had my first manapua from the crackseed department of Family Fair, the store that later became Gibson's. Began a lifetime love affair at that point. I would say that both Aiea Manapua and Sing Cheong Yuan were a good balance between fat and meat in the filling.
When I lived in Honolulu in the late 70s to early 80s, my favorite place for manapua was the counter outside the Holiday Mart (on Ke’eaumoku?). One steamed char sui manapua and two sui mai was a nice lunch. Now I’m hungry.
I used to like those. Also the ones at Patti's Chinese Kitchen (in Ala Moana -- the one in Pearlridge was not as good).
Was this the place near tripler in an industrial park? Late ‘80’s early ‘90’s. I remember going to one that was a walk-up window and getting some amazing Manapua there.
I lived across the street from Holiday Mart and my goto was their manapua and roast pork!
@@rla26368 I never tried any near Tripler. The ones I tried at Holiday Mart were at the one near Ala Moana.
@@helenrogers6854 I remember the Holiday Mart manapuas. Takes me back to my childhood. BTW, we watched them walking on the moon at the TV section in that Holiday Mart.
thanks for for the info!
Just hoping to provide folks with good, valuable information here.
i like the filling to bun ratio of the ones you are showing -they could be 70/30 bun to filling but look like 80/20 filling to bun
Yeah, having a good balance of filling to bun is quite important. The cheap spots give you mostly bread to cut costs, but they're just not as good.
RIP Libby's
😰
I grew up in Salt Lake. There's was Dan the Manapua Man and another one. But Dan was all the kids fave
I grew up in Aiea, at the top of the hill on Aiea Hts. The manapua man never made it up there, but after school. we always went to Kanda's and got really good manapuas. Also, in Waimalu Shopping Center, there used to be this old man with a dim sum shop, and he made the best dim sum (including manapuas).
Chun Wah Kam and Honolulu Kitchen is owned by brothers. Both started at Chun Wah Kam till one brother left and started Honolulu Kitchen.
I didn't know that. But both are good! Thanks for the information!
Libby’s is the best. Was just wishing they did not close.
I always thought it was a tie between Libby's and Char Hung Sut. But that one small shop in Waimalu Shopping Center (wish I could remember its name) that closed in the 1980s arguably beat both of them!
Since you like steamed manapua, the best "deal" in town would be Time Supermarket in Kam Shopping Center. Yes I know, you probably never been there or heard of it. Buy 5 manapua, get 1 free, plus the price is better than anyone out there. And the manapua is great.
I've been there and I;ve heard of it. In fact, I used to have a good friend who lived a few blocks away, at the end of Gulick Ave. I just never really felt that the Times Manapuas had a lot of flavor. But they are certainly well priced.
@@steveandyoung Regarding Char Hung Sut, I think there is more to the story besides the pandemic, the rumor is a family conflict or something. I hope they can resolve those issues, they had the best manapua in the state.
@@bhonjiyo5885 Agreed. I did not know that.
Food truck manapua are the best
ALL manapua are the best! 😀
Libby's Manapua (was on 410 Kalihi St. Honolulu, HI 96819); Chun Wah Kam (noodle factory): 505 Kalihi Street)
The secret map to Kalihi’s culinary treasures! Next stop: tastebud paradise! I used to love Libby's. Still love Chun Wah Kam.
The correct answer is Oakland Chinatown. ;) or Ginger and Garlic is pretty good stuff.
I've never heard about Oakland Chinatown. I've seen Charles Trinh rave about Ginger & Garlic, though.
Never tried Aiea Manapua, always gone to Chun Wah Kam.
Both are good. I've been going to both for years. But this is the first time I tried Sing Chong Yuan, and was very pleased with that one.
No more good ones already. I mean, maybe chun wa kam, but since libbys and char hung sut closed, i dont eat manapua already
I do agree that none of these are as good as Libby's and Char Hung Sut were. In fact, there was a small shop in Waimalu Shopping Center in the early 80s that made the best I've ever tasted. But I could never permanently give up manapua. I guess it's like sex. Even a not so great manapua is better than no manapua. 😉
you don't have to rip the manapua open to determine what type it is. They usually mark the top of the bun with a dot, 2 dots, 3 dots, hash mark....depending on what type of filling is inside.
Of course, that assumes you know their system for marking the dots. Unfortunately, I don't (since I usually get the ones with Char Siu inside mostly)
I prefer Chun Wah Kam overall. Tried Sing Cheong Yuan manapua earlier this year for 1st time after watching a review, nope i'd rather have Chun Wah Kam. Tried Royal Kitchen, Char Hun Sut, & Aiea's manapuas nope.
I guess it's a matter of personal taste. I certainly would not say no to any of them, and Chun Wah Kam is certainly very, very good. It's most convenient and closest to my house in Hawaii, so I usually get it at least once whenever I'm back on the island.
Yesterday I bought Sin's Manapua (Not bad IMO) some fat. Baked Manapua $2.35 (?) Steamed $2.45 I think I'll stick with Chun Wah Kam. $2.55 Baked Manapua
Never tried Sin's. Where is that? Personally, too much fat in the filling can turn me off. They need a good balance, and I want to feel the texture of the meat when I bite into it. Also, the softness and sweetness of the bun are key.
I personally prefer the steamed manapua
I do, as well.
In the 60’s the Manapua man used to walk in my area of Kaimuki where I lived as a child with two large cans on either side of his shoulders hang down with a long maybe bamboo pole mounted on the back of his shoulders an elderly man maybe Chinese yelling out loudly, Manapua, Pepeau, half moon, maybe even rice cake. We would come out and buy what he was selling and buy it 3 Manapua for 25 cents 6 for 50 cents. Were you around in when the Manapua man was still walking the Kaimuki neighborhoods selling these delicious food, and I know this man worked very hard to sell these foods for the day. So if it was only up to the 50’s only, well that’s very wrong. I know for a fact I live it in those days, and I’m telling it from those days. Even my grade school classmates who were my neighbors in Kaimuki will remember that. FACT! Aloha ke akua.
I lived in downtown Honolulu in the early 60's, so there was no manapua man there. Used to get my manapua from the crack seed shop at Family Fair and (I think) Long's. In the late 60's, we moved to Aiea, and there was no manapua man there at that time. Used to get my manapua from Kanda's Store. But what a pleasure to be living on the island in the 1960s!
BTW, the Manapua man was the original food delivery service on foot! Who needs apps when you have a man with a bamboo pole?
The same Manapua guy walked around Lanakila in the 50s early 60s.
Char hung sut closed wasnt cuz the pandemic. I would still buy it there when they were opened. I think ifs cuz no 1 wanted to continue the business and they had a a family dispute
I didn't know that. I had been looking to go back there, but when the pandemic shutdown was over, no more Char Hung Sut. Oh, well. Royal Kitchen is still the best baked manapua, though. A little sweet, but it hits all the cravings.
Since libby's closed, my fave is char hun sut. Chun wah Kam is fine, but a little to doughy/bready for my taste. Prefer that light chewy libby's style bun
Edit: damn, didn't realize char hun set closed down also. RIP, anyone have any suggestions for anywhere comparable to either of those places?
Sing Cheong Yuan in Chinatown was about the closest I found so far. But I'm always willing to try new places. . .
You filming this nearby the kokohead shooting range????? I can hear them gunshots!
Yes, we did the intro on the Koko Head Trail which is near the shooting range.
Not a fan of aiea manapua, once its cold, no good. Buggah dry. Gotta get em early in the am. Honolulu Kitchen is not either sorry. I do however, get the fried manapua with the Raiders painted on them for games. Check it out, they can draw anything on the manapua.
Honolulu Kitchen is more of a novelty. I still prefer steamed over all, and baked second. It's such a bummer. The concept of fried manapua really excited me, but it did not come through in the execution.
@@steveandyoung Yeah I was not satisfied, I just like the fact that they could draw images on them for parties
@Raider FrankDaTank Maybe next time, you can get them to draw, "I want a decent manapua, not this!"
@@steveandyoung lol
Everybody has different taste.
That's true.
Mea does not mean bun
No, it means "thing," but in this context, it is referring to the overall bun.
Didn’t your parents tell you not to talk with food in your mouth?
@@okolemahu no
@@steveandyoung Figures.
If you think Mapunapuna is a sweet bun with char sui inside, YOU"RE HAOLE!!
If you don't know how to say or spell char siu, or you think that Manapua is spelled Mapunapuna, YOU'RE HAOLE!!! :-D