If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t have to think twice – it would be sweet red bean buns, and I would never get tired of them. Koreans call them 단팥빵 (Dan-pat-bbang), and the Japanese call them あんパン (An-pan) (and even their own cartoon superhero named Anpanman). The Chinese have their own version too, although I’m not sure of the name. For those not familiar with this delicious Asian pastry, it’s just bread filled with red azuki bean paste. But don’t let these simple ingredients fool you! Back at home, my family stocks up on them from the local Korean supermarket (sometimes, we’d buy the entire rack ) and finish them off within a week. Unfortunately, coming to Yale meant that I would have to give them up for a while … or so I thought. While having dinner with a friend at Yale earlier this semester and discussing our favorite Asian snacks, I mentioned how much I missed the red bean buns.

“Wait, Hong Kong Grocery has them baked fresh every morning. I get them all the time,” she told me.

(A pause as I contemplate the profound meaning of this statement.)

“WHAT??!”

So it turns out HK Grocery does have them, for just $1 a piece. The market also offers some other Chinese pastries, like pineapple buns and pork-filled buns, but for me, the red bean buns top them all. The bakery isn’t in the actual grocery store but in the restaurant next door. During my few days at Yale during spring break, I found these to be a cheap, tasty alternative to the $3-7 breakfast entrees at Au Bon Pain.

I don’t really have high standards when it comes to quality of the buns since my Korean store back home doesn’t even have a bakery – the buns were shipped from another bakery in Chicago, so they weren’t very fresh by the time they arrived in Kentucky. But as far as I can tell from the ones at HK, the bread has an ideal fluffiness with a hint of buttery flavor, packed with plenty of moist bean paste in each bite. It was heaven in the palm of my hand.

The only complaint I have is that the bean paste is concentrated in the middle, versus an even spread throughout the bun. You’ll have to get a couple bites through just bread (although it is delicious on its own too) before tasting any bean. And sometimes, the thickness of the paste gets a little hard to swallow, although some people might appreciate its richness.

If you want to try one for yourself, you can check out Hong Kong Grocery on 67 Whitney Avenue. (Remember that the bakery is in the restaurant next door.) Even if you’re not as crazy about red bean buns as I am, they’re certainly a yummy, filling snack, perfect for breakfast or late nights!