I’m a total pau ( steamed buns) lover since young and this includes all kinds of pau although traditional handmade ones are definitely the top of the list. I was looking for a cafe around Jalan Besar area when Chin Sin Huan pop up in my google search and I decided to take a look since it was very near to where I was located.
I was surprised to be greeted by this cute storefront which has the vibes of an old school coffeeshop clashed with the modern pastel colour of teal and pink used for their signboard. It was a pretty interesting mix of modern and tradition.
The store mainly caters to the takeaway crowd although there is a singular marble table and modern high stool and tables by the glass door front for some customer to enjoy their pau on the spot. The store also sells some basic beverages for dine in customers.
The furnishings are quite eclectic with high stools resembling old school barber chairs matching modern industrial chic drop lights and pastel pretty signboards. It weird yet strangely soothing at the same time.
Chin Sin Huan is the name of the coffee shop by the owner’s grandfather in the heart of Tanjung Rhu in the 1960s. With fresh ingredients and painstaking hard work put in, the pau made by Chin Sin Huan quickly became very popular with the neighbours.
Their offerings are simple; offering the basic pau found in most handmade pau stalls. Some of the more unique flavours include the yuan yang pau made of salted egg yolk and red bean and the black sesame pau. The store also offers toast, dim sum and traditional beverages.
Just like their signboard, the takeaway boxes was printed in the same pastel pink and green design which was very traditional yet pretty.
Their history is also printed on the box to spread their story wide and far. Personally, I am not so sure what their relation is with the actual Tanjung Rhu Pau and who is the actual creator of the pau but this seems to lay claim on the original Tanjung Rhu pau.
The char siew pau is mini sized just like the other tanjung rhu pau while the big pork pau is the size of other char siew pau sold by other stores.
I steamed the pau before trying them and they are general quite soft to the touch
The big pork pau has a generous chunk of meat which is juicy and soft to the bite. There are also some other vegetables in the pau itself. The flavours are quite balanced without being too salty. The pau skin itself is soft but not fluffy enough.
The char siew is very sweet and taste exactly like the other mini char siew pau from Tanjong Rhu. The skin of the pau is thin enough to bite straight into the char siew but I would like if the filling was more generous.
The black sesame pau was the same mini size and the sesame filling itself is quite smooth but a bit dry. It would be perfect if the sesame was more watery or flowy as the taste of the sesame filling is sweet enough.
The lotus pau was sadly very dry as well and did not have a creamy enough texture
I was half expecting the yuan yang to be disappointing as well but I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike the sesame and lotus pau, the red bean fillings was creamy and smooth and the salty egg yolk center gave the pau a nice sweet and salty balanced flavour. Personally, I feel that this is the most outstanding item from the batch I bought and would definitely visit them to buy the yuan yang again.
I recently found out that Takashimiya basement has a take away counter for Chin Sin Huan as well making it easy for those to buy the paus when in town. I would buy the char siew and yuan yang pau again for their nice flavours while other stalls I know make better lotus pau.
Address: 285 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208948
Operating hours: 8 am to 6 pm ( 5 pm on Sat)
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