Do you like gua bao?
Located in the vibrant heart of Soho, London, @bao_london is a small haven that has popularized the gastronomic gem of Taiwanese cuisine-the gua bao. The atmosphere is always buzzing, with Londoners and tourists queuing at the door regardless of the wait time and the weather. And yes they now take reservations!
As for the success, it is easy to understand—after securing our seats at the counter, we received a paper and a pencil to make our choices. Everything was appetizing by name and priced reasonably for a successful London restaurant.
The young and laid-back team showed sympathy and knowledge, always explaining the dishes, options, and their ingredients with a smile and the right amount of fun. They demonstrated passion and pleasure in pleasing their visitors, something rare to see in places full of hype and lines at the door.
Our culinary journey at Bao Soho was a delightful exploration of Taiwanese cuisine. We savored various dishes, from the classic Pork Bao— filled with succulent pork, crushed peanuts, fermented vegetables, and cilantro— to the Taiwanese Fried Chicken with spicy sauce. The irresistible lamb bao with chili pickle, garlic mayonnaise, cilantro sauce, and rice with stewed eggplant were also part of our feast.
There is something almost magical about biting into these small pieces of culture. It is the combination of fat, spice, acidity, and textures that takes us to different dimensions with each bite.
Thus, the trick to a good bao seems simple and similar to many other street food dishes: not over-complicating the ingredients and fillings, and, of course, in this case, light and fluffy homemade bread.
Bao Soho (and its younger siblings scattered throughout the city) is not just a restaurant; it is a cultural and culinary experience capable of bringing together hipsters, foodies, and Taiwanese, young and old, all in search of something honest, well-made, and very tasty.
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#BaoSoho #TaiwaneseStreetFood #LondonEats #PorkBao #FriedChickenBao #lambbao #FoodReview #flavorsandsenses #theartofplating #londoners #gastronomos
