FOODIE FRIDAY : Daddy's toasted siopao

I know it is a Saturday. But I just want to share this new siopao place not just to rave about their siopao but to also share an annoying little story. I am a huge siopao fan, I prefer the asado type over the bola-bola type. But what I love most about siopao is the slightly sweet and very soft bread that covers the meat. One night on my way home from work, I got curious when I saw this sign along Talaba :

photo grabbed from their facebook page

What got me more interested to try it was the J. Co-ish line outside the store. I asked a nephew to buy me a dozen. It was still hot when my nephew arrived home, he said it was freshly baked. 

that purple ribbon bothers me.

freshly baked.

what's inside (grabbed from their FB page)

I was expecting that the bread was mantou (Chinese steamed bun) as most siopaos I know are made of, but was not. It was not made of pandesal, it was something more similar to what we call putok. The bun was soft and it was generously stuffed with pork asado and a little piece of salted egg. I liked how the asado tasted, not too sweet and a bit salty.  At 8 pesos a piece I think it is priced just right. However, that plain box with sticker and bothersome purple ribbon will cost an additional 15 pesos. So if I were you, I will ask them do away with the box and just have it placed in a brown bag. Sayang din yung 15 pesos, piso na lang 2 pieces of siopao na yun. 

My tito liked the siopao, so we (me, my nephew chi and tito ding) again went to the siopao place the following night. When we arrived there at 10:30 pm, I saw around 3 people waiting to be served and was told that I will have to wait for 15 minutes. I advised the lady that I was willing to wait and placed my order for 2 dozens which costs 222 pesos. And since we are to wait, the girl who took my order asked for my name so I said Ann, then she wrote "Kath - 2 dozen" on a piece of paper. 

 I was asked to hand over my payment to the guy who I presumed to be the cashier. Mr. Cashier looked irritated when I handed him a 500-peso bill. He then asked me if I had something smaller and seeing his not so enthusiastic look about my payment, I did not make any effort to go back to the car and ask my tito for smaller bills. So I said, "wala" and then he asked if I had 2 pesos. I dug into my pocket to check my coins and saw that I have 20 pesos in 5 and 10-peso denominations. I said "5 pesos lang e" to which Mr. Cashier sneeringly replied "2 pesos nga lang e". With matching lip pout!

GRRRRR! Even the 2 girls who were waiting to place their orders got turned off with how he replied. The other girl said "ang panget talaga sa negosyo ng may nakabusangot!" 1st, it is already past 10pm, I would presume they have been trading all day, wala pa ring panukli? and besides even if they just opened and I am their first customer, it is their responsibility to have panukli. 2nd, I don't care if you had a rough day, a customer is a customer... and even if I am buying just 1 or 1000 pieces I do not deserve to be treated shabbily. and lastly, before you treat people like you are so much more superior than them, you might want to.... oh never mind, I might say something so mean I would regret it later. 

I had to wait standing, there were chairs but it was not enough for all of us waiting for our orders. While waiting, you can see the bakers in action... 

no hair net, wearing slippers pa!  at home si Kuya baker!

and this is the grumpiest cashier I have ever encountered: 

Their siopao is probably not something that can win them an award for the tastiest siopao in town but it is nice enough to share with your officemates for a quick merienda. But I will bet my chubby little fingers, this Daddy's Toasted Siopao branch can easily walk away with the Grumpiest Cashier Award any given day.