For me is  

i'm kinda sick and tired of the news or video of this guy talking liao. 

Black Sabbath have just announced Back to the Beginning, one final concert to celebrate Ozzy Osbourne's last live performance, which will feature a reunion of the legendary metal band's four original members.   The show will take place on July 5 at Aston Villa and Osbourne comments, "It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning….time for me to give back to the place where I was born. How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever." This will mark the first time that all four original members have performed onstage together in 20 years.    

Not to be confused with Issey Miyake’s tessellated bags, Bao Bao is the latest brainchild of Pang Gek Teng, the 36-year-old founder of popular Aussie-style gourmet grocer and cafe chain Surrey Hills Grocer. Nestled in Ion Orchard’s basement, Bao Bao – which means precious buns in Chinese – offers handmade steamed baos with traditional fillings like char siew, braised pork and red bean paste, as well as modern creations like adzuki red bean mochi and orh nee with gingko nuts. The menu also features classic dim sum items like siew mai and chicken glutinous rice. The shop has been quietly operating since December in a soft launch phase and is set to officially open on February 8. Advertisement       This is the first wholly homegrown concept for Gek, who previously brought Japanese ramen chain Mensho Tokyo and Australian tapas restaurant MoVida to Singapore. She explains: “Baos are one of my favourite foods since I was young, and it’s something that my parents enjoy very much as well. After launching Surrey Hills and the other concepts, which are more high-end, I wanted to start a local brand that is more accessible and showcases my Singaporean identity.” No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg. 1of11 Old-school charm During our visit, we were immediately charmed by Bao Bao’s branding – the logo features an adorable illustration inspired by Gek herself, complete with her signature bob hairstyle, giving the brand a playful and personal touch. The takeaway shop’s aesthetic strikes a nostalgic yet modern vibe, while its packaging is reminiscent of classic zi char takeaway boxes – great for sharing Bao Bao’s treats with friends and family. Think hipster bao shop. Advertisement       2of11 A master’s touch To launch Bao Bao, Gek collaborated with a seasoned bao maker in his 70s, who boasts over 50 years of experience crafting traditional local buns. “I was introduced to him and immediately fell in love with his creations,” she shares.  The bao master prefers to remain unnamed and continues to run a small shop elsewhere. He developed the recipes for the buns and personally trained Bao Bao’s kitchen team for over three months to maintain his standards. The light and fluffy texture of Bao Bao’s steamed buns can be credited to his 20-year-old starter, used to ferment the dough for 14 to 16 hours. While he does not hold a stake in Bao Bao, we’re told the shifu remains involved in a consultancy role and visits the shop weekly to oversee quality control. All the buns are made on-site. 3of11 No plans to expand for now While the shop has been doing pretty well since its soft launch – Gek shares that it’s selling an average of 2500 baos daily – the founder has no plans to open more Bao Bao outlets for now. “Handmade baos require a specific skillset, and you need to train people very well [before you can expand]. The cost is very high as everything is house-made and we don’t have mass production, so we’ll need to see how this shop runs before we plan our next step,” shares Gek. 4of11 The menu Bao Bao’s steamed baos are divided into two categories: the Traditional Range features classic fillings like char siew and braised pork belly, and the Signature Range showcases modern creations like adzuki red bean with mochi and chocolate lava. Dim sum staples like siew mai and chicken glutinous rice are also available. Before finalising the menu, Gek and her team experimented with nearly 10 different flavours for the Signature Range. These ranged from chilli crab and mac & cheese to more mind-boggling ideas like buldak (a type of spicy Korean instant noodle) and a bubble tea-inspired bao stuffed with milk tea and pearls. “When the older folks (referring to the shifu and her investors) tried them, they almost fainted,” Gek quips. Advertisement       They narrowed it down to three flavours with a coherent dessert theme: Adzuki mochi, chocolate lava, and orh nee. The latter, a creamy yam paste bao infused with shallot oil, was a no-brainer for Gek. “I’m Teochew,” she says with pride. Prices range from $1.20 for the small baos containing tau sar or lotus seed paste to $2.90 for the larger meat buns like Big Pork Bao and Braised Pork Belly Bao. 5of11 Roasted Char Siew Bao, $1.50 each (8 DAYS Pick!) This petite bun is soft and pillowy, with just the right touch of sweetness to complement its saucy, house-roasted char siew filling. The meat is tender, not too fatty, and carries an assertive smoky, bak kwa-like flavour. So good, it made our colleague return to buy a second bun during a separate visit. 6of11 Impressively, the bun retains its fluffy texture even when cooled – and it’s just as delicious when reheated by steaming it the next day. 7of11 Big Pork Bao, $2.90 each (8 DAYS Pick!) The flavourful, juicy marinated pork comes in larger chunks than your average big pork bao, which adds to its hearty appeal along with a wedge of boiled egg. Very fresh-tasting and yummy. Advertisement       8of11 Braised Pork Belly Bao, $2.90 each The kong bak bao is decent but doesn’t stand out. The lean portion of the pork belly was a bit too dry, and the braised flavour is passable but lacks the richness and depth that would elevate it to the next level. 9of11 Orh Nee Bao, $1.60 (8 DAYS Pick!) Almost too pretty to eat, the lilac-hued orh nee filling is smooth and velvety, with a subtle richness from shallot oil. Tender gingko nuts add a lovely textural contrast to this sweet bun – a must try for yam lovers. 10of11 Adzuki Red Bean Mochi Bao, $1.60 While the mochi boasts a moist, chewy texture, the red bean paste is a little dry and bland, resulting in a rather forgettable bun. 11of11 Siew Mai, $1.20 each A serviceable option – the pork filling isn’t particularly juicy or flavourful. Stick to the yummier baos. Bao Bao is at #B4-34 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, S238801. Open daily 10am – 10pm. More info via Facebook & Instagram.