Mian & Bao Brings Noodles and Dumplings to Former Piggy Smalls Space

Snacks, noodles and xiao long bao at the new sister eatery to Chengdu Taste and Mian.

January 13, 2025

Martha Cheng,

Mian and bao: two of my favorite things. And apparently, that of many friends: Birds of a feather carb together. They’ve been asking about the new restaurant, Mian & Bao, that opened on Dec. 16 in the space that housed Piggy Smalls and, for a short period, Peso. It’s the latest restaurant by the owners of Chengdu Taste and Mian. Tony Xu made his name in Los Angeles for his Sichuan dishes when he opened the original Chengdu Taste in 2013; since then, he and business partner Sean Xie have expanded to Honolulu and Texas. And with Mian & Bao in Honolulu, they’re venturing beyond 808 Center.

The new restaurant combines Sichuan noodles and Shanghainese bao, namely xiao long bao and sheng jian bao, pork buns encased by a leavened dough—somewhere in texture between dumpling wrappers and fluffy manapua—and pan-fried for a crisp bottom. On recent visits, I bypassed the Sichuan dishes since I was already familiar with them at Mian and Chengdu Taste (the latter one of my favorite restaurants on the island) and focused on the bao side of the menu.

Photo: Martha Cheng

This proved that bao are much, much harder to nail than noodles, and that the consistency and quality achieved by the legendary dumpling behemoth Din Tai Fung are truly impressive. The first time, Mian & Bao’s xiao long bao ($13.99) ruptured easily and were slightly sweet, but the second time, the dumpling skins were perfect—sturdy enough to carry the steaming hot liquid inside while still on the delicate side.

Photo: Martha Cheng

Sheng jian bao ($9.99) arrived deflated both times, and the second time, the dough tasted raw. But the bottoms were griddled until crisp, and the buns were delightfully juicy. Xian bing ($8.99), pan-fried beef pies, griddled on both sides, were thick and doughy.

At the moment, the xiao chi, or snacks, are the highlight: they include hong shao kao fu (braised wheat gluten; $4.99), sweet and savory marinated cucumbers ($3.99); nostalgia-inducing steamed egg topped with ground pork ($3.99); and homey soft tofu with century egg ($6.99).