In Hobart’s CBD, many new eateries offering various Asian cuisines have established themselves for the daytime and lunch markets. I was desperately hungry during one recent visit to the city and wandered into Yangs Dumplings.

As a vegan and not eating fried food, I am limited in what I can eat and choosy about where I eat. It was the menu that attracted me with one item; mushroom steamed buns. For a moment I considered they might not really suit my eating style but the name was tantalising and I was willing to try.

I didn’t know what to expect but placed an order. And waited. The buns were made from scratch – you can’t get fresher than that! And well worth the wait.

When the steamed basket was placed before me, the presentation was truly exciting. It seemed a shame to eat these buns.

I am familiar with the pristine white of ‘normal’ steamed buns. My mushroom buns had the appearance of real mushrooms. Their tops were marked as for a mushroom, and they had plump short ‘stalks’ beneath. I loved that attention to detail.

Despite being difficult to handle with chopsticks I worked at it and bit into the soft giving ‘flesh’ of the first bun. Almost melted in the mouth. No stodgy dough sticking to the roof of my mouth, and the juicy mushroom filling added the right savoury note.

What a delightful surprise. And the sort of treat I am bound to repeat!