This Taiwanese street-food set-up has lived up to the notorious no reservation hype since British Chinese siblings Wai Ting and Shing Tat Chung, and Shing’s Taiwanese partner Erchen Chang brought this fashionable eatery to the London foodie scene. But is it worth queuing around the block for their famous Taiwanese steamed buns? Yes!!
The menu in BAO Fitzrovia offers an exciting selection of Bao buns, from the Confit pork belly, to the Lamb shoulder with soy pickled chilis. It is easy to only indulge in these best-loved fluffy white bites, but there is an array of other amazing nibbles on the Xiao Chi section (that’s “small eats” in Mandarin). You cannot leave without trying some of these!
We went for the meaty offal option of beef cheeks and tendon nuggets. Also the soy marinated crispy fried chicken chop is incredibly succulent, served with tangy hot sauce topped with a novel egg yolk that our waiter suggested to mix in with the sauce to add wonderful depth and richness. Push your comfort zones and try the raw langoustines complimented with a balanced dulse and aged soy sauce dressing, or the salty and tasty crispy prawn heads.
Of course, we had to go for a number of different steamed buns…The Classic (An original dish from Soho) is packed with braised pork, perfectly balanced with sweet and savoury flavours and added texture from the peanut garnish. But it is the insta-famous Cod Black that we really loved! The Panko Daikon Bao is a vegetarian option which certainly doesn’t lack any punch.
The sticky Mapo aubergine rice served with a zesty Salsa Verde is such a moreish dish I could have eaten the entire rice bowl. Get your greens in and try the grilled lettuce gem with confit garlic.
The intimate horseshoe bar with high stools, and unique tick-off menu is ideal for a causal spot of sharing dining. While the lower ground floor hosts a further dining area with exciting views into the open kitchen.
BAO Fitzrovia are now taking group bookings on the lower ground floor, accommodating 10 guests on one long table or alternatively the full lower ground floor exclusively for up to 20 guests. Book this area for your private party at downstairs@baolondon.com
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