by DCist contributor Shane McCarthy

The time has come for bao, a ubiquitous Chinese street food, to make its mark on the American food scene, says Peter He, the owner of the new food truck People’s Bao. Americans have come to crave the extensive profile of Asian flavors, while demanding speed and consistency, He says, betting that bao—pillowy steamed buns with savory fillings that can be eaten with your hands—could be the ticket.

“Bao deserves a space in the American culinary landscape,” He tells DCist.

Bao has had made in-roads locally: Maketto, Momofuku, Chaplins, and Masa 14, among others, all sell their own versions. But the dish is still far from being as familiar as, say, the orange chicken popularized by Panda Express thirty years ago.

Before launching his truck last month, He had been selling bao at farmer’s markets for five years. He says the public reception has been overwhelmingly positive, but the biggest challenge with selling bao is that many people don’t know what it is. Most people who came to his stand were trying it for the first time as a novelty.

That may well change soon, as restaurants all over the country are trying to make bao a mainstream item. “All of us are coming at it from our own perspective, but nobody has cracked the nut yet,” He says.

Most traditional Chinese bao are completely enclosed, meaning that you never really know the exact filling until you take your first bite. But the newer wave of the food, including People’s Bao, departs from these roots by serving the buns open. It’s a trick right out of the fast casual playbook, allowing eaters to customize their meal as they see fit.

The People’s Bao menu features high-grade, antibiotic-free heritage pork, duck confit, and portobello mushrooms. You can also try ordering off the secret menu and get a Double (pork and mushrooms), Trifecta (pork, mushrooms, and duck), Triple Double (everything plus hot sauce), or Bruce Lee (two spicy mini buns with extra greens and green tea).

People’s Bao has also taken a step beyond the buns and introduced hearty bone broth as a side dish. Slow-cooked for hours and seasoned more than traditional bone stock, these broths have become a favorite for paleo dieters and cleansers. People’s Bao utilizes their leftover duck bones to create a broth that stands apart from the beef and lamb broths that are so popular.

You can track the location of the People’s Bao truck on Twitter.