Tags
Australia, canberra, Dickson, dining with friends, Eggplant, steamed bao, Superbao restaurant, Tofu
A visit to a newly opened restaurant
Earlier this week, I asked my friends Ray and Natalie to come with me to a new restaurant near my home. It’s located in the ‘Chinatown’ of Canberra and inside is bright with nice decor; all clean and fresh with amazing artwork on the main wall.
The restaurant is owned by Paul and Angel who both grew up in China and have been selling their bao at local markets in Canberra before they opened this restaurant.
Our waiter had a great sense of humour and he and Angel made our visit a really lovely experience. We were told that the shop closes on Mondays and it’s this day they make hundreds of steamed buns for the week ahead. I guess no rest days for owners of a new restaurant!
Of course the main food on the menu is bao. If you don’t know what a bao is…well they are those fluffy, folded-over steamed buns usually filled with pork belly, pickles and crushed nuts but this restaurant has all different types of filling. There was one I really wanted to try; the Panko Tofu Bao; tofu crumbed with panko flour, white and black sesame seeds and then fried. There are also rice and noodle dishes along with vegetable and meat dishes on the menu; so a good range of food.Our waiter kindly let me know that the steamed buns are not vegan which was a bit of a shame as I really felt like eating the panko tofu. So instead I ordered lightly fried tofu which was so fresh and tasty and an eggplant dish. It wasn’t the style of eggplant I am used to (Sichuan style with oil) but more chargrilled I think. Both dishes were beautifully presented.
Ray and Nat ordered several of the bao to taste and both said they were very good.
Their choices were the Pork Belly Bao where the pork belly is cooked traditional Taiwan style and served with crushed peanuts, pickled cabbage and coriander leaves. Their second choice was the Shanghai Duck Bao; the duck stewed in soy sauce and Chinese spices with a slice or orange which we were told amplifies the rich and decadent taste and their third choice was the Crispy Fried Chicken Bao where a chicken thigh is marinated overnight then coated with a secret flour recipe and deep fried and comes with a drizzle of saffron mayonnaise.
Also ordered were the beef skewers which Ray and Nat shared and sparkling water and a glass of wine each.
When we called over our waiter to ask for the bill, he told us that we definitely had to try the Oreo Bao [not vegan unfortunately), but shared by my friends who said it was absolutely delicious. Rather decadent I think!
I am sure I will return as it’s a good place to pop in for a quick meal and glass of wine albeit a little expensive!
I have mixed feelings about bao that is folded over bread dough. I like what I’m used to and that’s a bun with porky goodness inside or occasionally some red bean paste.
I’m guessing it’s the butter that makes the bao bread dough non-vegan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a shame that those veggie bao weren’t vegan Sue. When we visited Taiwan I absolutely loved eating those steamed buns. I’ve since had them elsewhere but none as delicious as in Taiwan. Hope you are having a good weekend. I have everyone home which is lovely for the May Day bank holiday but sadly it’s cold, damp and dreary outdoors and the papers predict it being the coldest May Day on record!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh how wonderful about the bao Marion. Weather is lovely here during the days but cold with frost in the mornings. I love it this time of the year here in Canberra. How lexical having everyone home so you enjoy and keep warm. Best regards Sue
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I think butter and maybe milk Gaz.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! Amazing food! And what overactive mind dreamed up that mural?! Intriguing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those bao are also very trendy in Spain now based on what I see on my sister in law’s Instagram, hehe. Are they from Taiwan? Here in China I’ve only seen the ones that are round and closed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They didn’t say. Just said they grew up in China on their website so ‘assuming’ not Taiwan.
LikeLike
With bao, it all comes down to textures and taste. So sorry you couldn’t have one, but they look good.
Is the oreo bao the modern reinvention of deep fried ice cream? I’m tempted. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Pork Belly Bao looks delicious. Beautiful foodie photos, make me very hungry. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yum!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha. An sure it is. Gosh I used to love deep fried icecream…another dish the Chinese have never heard of.
LikeLike