Ekiben

The gist: A few years back, Steve Chu and Ephrem Abebe began selling steamed bun sandwiches, rice bowls, and out-of-the-box side dishes from a hot dog cart at the Fells Point Farmers’ Market. Now, they’ve got two brick-and-mortar spots and we couldn’t be happier.
The food: Asian-influenced dishes with unabashedly fun twists, including giant and pillowy steamed buns. Thai chicken meatballs, the Neighborhood Bird, and tempura broccoli have become staples in the Baltimore vocabulary, thanks to these enterprising guys. If soft-shell crab anything is on special, get it.
The cost: Bun sandwiches are $10-12, bowls are $14-16, sides are $2-6. You can also buy a hospital or healthcare worker a bun for $10.
How to order: Order takeout through ChowNow.