The Fatty Bao.
This could be the year of the bao sandwich, a hybrid snack that first made a splash in New York in the form of the pork bun made iconic by chef and serial restaurateur David Chang. A street staple in Taiwan, the gua bao as it’s called is a colourful and messy taco-sandwich mash-up in which the mantou, a steamed Chinese bread, holds the ingredients. This avatar of the bao, a version of the Chinese dumpling comprising pillowy pleat-sealed buns stuffed with sweet meats, allows chefs to experiment with fillings, flavours and garnishes. While it has made a delayed entry in Mumbai, the bao sandwich here is not just the domain of South-East Asian restaurant chains. Gastropubs also peddle the trendy snack with fusion fillings that range from items like raan to tandoori chicken makhani. Here’s our pick of the six best bao sandwiches in the city:
Tofu and Mushroom Bao at The Bao Haus Co.
To place an order, call 92222 64287 or order from Scootsy.
If you live north of Tardeo, you will have to travel for baos by this delivery kitchen in south Mumbai. The Bao Haus Co., which specialises in bao sandwiches, operates from Colaba to Tardeo. A drive to their kitchen or to a location at which they deliver is rewarding as they cater a fun range of multi-textured sandwiches with shrimp, chicken, pork belly and lamb paired with inventive house-made sauces and garnishes. The umami-flavoured tofu and mushroom bao holds its own against their meatier offerings. The heat from Sichuan peppers and sweetness from a sprinkling of Demerara-hued peanut sugar is balanced in this bun, which is quite thick, optimally sticky, pillowy and mildly sweet as bao is intended to be.
Price: Rs200.
BBQ Veg Bao at Busago
See here for locations or order from Scootsy.
The casual-dining restaurant chain has played it too safe with their baos, but they make up for the lack of variety with portion and pricing. The bao section lists one item, Busago Bao’s, under which you get a choice of BBQ chicken, BBQ veg and BBQ pork bao and you can choose any two out of these. The veg bao, stuffed with carrot, baby corn, sauteed mushrooms and sliced radish coated in a sweet and smoky BBQ sauce surprisingly triumphs over the over-sauced chicken bao, which is more sweet than savoury.
Price: 195.
Char Siu Bao at The Fatty Bao
Summerville, Ground Floor, at the junction of 14th Road and 33rd Road, off Linking Road, in the same lane as KFC, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2600 5220.
Our standard order at the East-Asian restaurant is the Momofuku-inspired char siu bao, which we almost never share, even though they serve two BBQ pork belly sandwiches per order. The sticky sweet slab of cooked-until-melting belly peeks out of the perfectly steamed baos with a fluffy finish. The kitchen commendably preserves the smoky sweetness of the pork, which is enhanced by the simple garnish of chilled and crisp green apple and scallions doused in sesame oil.
Price: Rs395.
Tofu and mushroom bao at The Bao Haus Co.
King Kaphrao Bao Wow at Five Fat Monks
The New Kamal Society, Shop 2, Ground Floor, near National College, Waterfield Road, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 6671 1423. Also at Courtyard, R City Mall, LBS Road, Ghatkopar (West). Tel: 022 6166 8881. They also have a delivery outlet in Mahalaxmi, to place an order, call 022 6511 3777.
The South-East Asian restaurant chain’s ‘Bao Wows’ are meals in themselves. They serve potato, paneer and chicken baos in sauces like Schezwan and chilli. Our pick is the King Kaphrao, the name a mangled version of a Thai stir-fried dish called kai kaphrao khai dao, which typically contains chicken and basil. Five Fat Monks serves two fairly large baos in the dish. They’re brimming with minced chicken flavoured with garlic, red chilli and fragrant basil and a garnish of sweet caramelised onions. The bread is firm enough to hold up the ample fillings.
Price: Rs230.
Pulled Tandoori Chicken Makhani Bao at Social
See here for locations.
The bar chain advertises that they use pita, as opposed to mantou, as the bread for their fusion bao sandwiches. When quaffing their well-priced tipples we usually get the hot-selling pulled tandoori makhani chicken bao, a flavourful and crunchy package of coriander chutney, pliant chicken cooked in a buttery gravy, sliced cucumbers and firm tomato rings.
Price: Rs190.
Raan Bao at 145
Opposite Rhythm House, in the same building as Khyber, Kala Ghoda, Fort. Tel: 022 4039 6638.
The raan bao at the Kala Ghoda multi-cuisine restaurant is an example of fusion food done right. The bread, which is more like spongy pita and the size of a taco shell, is weighed down by a delicious filling of slow-cooked mutton chunks shrouded in a robustly spicy raan masala that prompts sniffles. The mildly greasy sandwich pairs perfectly with a chilled beer.
Price: Rs225.
All prices exclude taxes.