Little Italy’s Adorable Asian Buns Arrive in Carlsbad | Eater San Diego

"Opened earlier this year in Little Italy and now with a new Carlsbad outlet, this eatery—created by Jenny and James Pyo, who also run Love Boat Sushi—has charmed the neighborhood with cute steamed buns shaped like pigs, chickens, and pandas and now includes a ground-beef bun modeled after the cuddly star from the film My Neighborhood Totoro and a Winnie the Pooh–shaped bun stuffed with sweet egg custard. I found the Carlsbad outpost sits on a remodeled outdoor patio with 25 seats and serves a menu similar to Little Italy’s, featuring an array of dishes drawing from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines, including ramen, sushi rolls, potstickers, and spicy pork bowls. Through November 30 (except Sunday, November 18) it's open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.; regular hours starting December 1 will be Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m." - Candice Woo