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2017-03-27
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Little Bao is taking the world by storm as of late, especially with the chef, May Chow, being awarded Asia's Female Chef of 2017. A seat is hard to come by, even on weekday evenings. I was told by the friendly staff at the door that a 45 minute wait was in store for me, so I was pleasantly surprised when after 15 minutes and a few unanswered phonecalls to prospective customers, I was ushered in.Fine dining restaurant it is not. Expect diners bumping your shoulders and waiters brushing your back
Fine dining restaurant it is not. Expect diners bumping your shoulders and waiters brushing your back as they squeeze past. However I never felt claustrophobic. A spotless environment together with warm attitudes of the servers elicited the vibe of a mix between a gastropub and a cha chaan teng.
The menu is short but comprehensive, and easy to understand. There are three Baos, probably inspired by the traditional Chinese 刈包, which are essentially burgers. There is one vegetarian option. On the left of the menu are 'Sharing plates', including salads, meats and other side orders. I went alone but ordered one sharing plate, Sesame Caesar (HKD78), and a Szechuan Fried Chicken Bao (HKD88). I also asked for a Chrysanthemum lemonade (HKD58), whichturned out to be a bad decision.
Chrysanthemum Lemonade
$58
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Sesame Caesar
$78
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FRIED DACE?! One of the staples of canned food, almost as popular as luncheon meat in Hong Kong, made it into the offerings of a chic eatery! I let out a big smile. For those who don't know, fried dace is a served in oval cans. It is oily, chewy and served with a ton of black beans. Other than being eaten alone, it is often used as a condiment, especially when cooking vegetables. Little Bao basically juxtaposed a Hong Kong trademark onto modern dining. I marvelled at their creativity. Tastewise, it was quite nice and the ingredients blended quite well. The lettuce was chopped into perfect sizes to fit into one bite. However, towards the end I felt that the fried dace was a bit too heavy, and the mildly acidic sesame sauce could not balance it out. I would suggest using a little less of this beloved snack.My Bao arrived just as I was finishing off the last morsels of the salad.
Szechuan Fried Chicken Bao
$88
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There were pickles, mayo, sauce and chcken. The mayo was mayo. The sauce was probably a mix of black vinegar and barbecue sauce. The pickles were the kind of appetizer you would find in a Chinese restaurant serving Shanghainese or Northen cuisine, not the ones sold in a jar. It was crunchy and tangy, which wonderfully complemented the chicken, which was fantastic.
It was fried crisp, much better than the faux Korean eateries popping up like mushrooms lately. The flesh, a chicken thigh probably, was tender and succulent. More importantly, there was the precious yellow fat 黃油 attached to it. Scrumptuous.Little Bao describes their menu as 'spanning Asian influences'. That is an understatement. It is Chinese cuisine from top to bottom, served to you by a waiter who speaks English. I like it. To serve excellent quality food in a modern environment is the best way to pay respect to ones roots. People complain about portions, but I had a filling meal for just under 250hkd, which is, by Soho standards, normal. Just don't order the lemonade.
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