Not every meal needs to be upscale and expensive, it just needs to be delicious. Such was the case when visiting Little Bao in Hong Kong. This tiny restaurant, with only 10 bar seats and a small table in the back, oozes cool and charm. The chefs cook directly in front of you, under the glow of a fluorescent sign featuring the Little Bao mascot.
Chef May Chow, who won Asia’s best female chef in 2017, helms this delightful spot. A Canadian-born talent who has appeared on shows like Parts Unknown with Anthony Bourdain, Top Chef, and Master Chef Asia and UK, Chef Chow has been re-imagining classic dishes since Little Bao opened in 2013. The menu playfully transforms traditional Chinese steamed buns into irresistible creations with fillings like pork belly, crispy Sichuan chicken, fish tempura, and shiitake tempeh.
Finding Little Bao can be tricky, but it’s worth the effort. The staff are friendly and welcoming, enhancing the overall experience. We indulged in a lunch special for 356 HK dollars (approximately the equivalent of 62 Canadian dollars), which might seem pricey but offered tremendous value. The meal included two small appetizers, Brussels sprouts, French fries with mushrooms and truffle mayo, dim sum (shrimp taco and short rib), two bao buns of our choosing, and we chose pork belly and fried chicken, and two delicious ice cream bao buns. Each bao bun is handmade and toasted golden just before serving, drawing from the richness of Chinese cuisine while incorporating flavours and techniques from around the world.
The hip, cozy atmosphere of Little Bao is complemented by a menu that includes seafood ceviche, crab cakes, skirt steak tataki, and poppers, but the star attraction is undoubtedly the bao buns. The cocktails are excellent, and my lemonade and gin libation were especially refreshing on a sweltering day in Hong Kong. They also offer beer, cider, and wines from small-batch Hong Kong brewers, distillers, and independent vineyards, along with a couple of mocktails and a delightful brand of coconut water.
One of our most memorable meals was this lunch at Little Bao. Despite its small size, this restaurant is ambitious, creative, and impressive. Every dish was perfectly cooked, bursting with vibrant flavours that made our taste buds dance.
Highly recommended.
Happy dining,
Shanea
10/10/2024
