I’ve written about Baby Bao before on this blog, and how it’s one of my aaallllllll time favourite places to eat in Brighton. But I realised as I was sat waiting for my bao this weekend, I’ve only written about the pop-up they did at Bison Beer, rather than their actual residence at The Pond. Here’s the low down on everything you need to know about them.
Baby Bao has a permanent residency at The Pond (delicious beers + delicious food = v happy people!) as well as a restaurant in London. They also often have a stall at Street Diner in Brighton. They serve up their take on Taiwanese street food – think bao buns loaded with delicious things like cod tempura with pickled fennel and tartare sauce. They go fully meat-free every Monday and they have loads of yummy veggie and vegan options on the everyday menu.
I’ve tried nearly every single bao on the menu and honestly, they’re all top-notch. But I have to say, my absolute favourite is the tofu classic. You get a big wedge of tofu that’s v v v crispy and it really soaks up the hoisin sauce on it. It’s topped with peanuts for more crunch, fresh spring onion and cucumber. It’s mad tasty. I could eat one for every meal for the rest of my life and never get bored, no joke.
My second favourite is the fried chicken karaage. If I’m not in the mood for tofu, this is my next go-to bao. The fried chicken is crunchy and full of flavour, with a gochujang mayo giving a bit of spice, pineapple giving you sweetness and coriander to top it off. Every mouthful is a treat.
If I’m really hungry like I was this day, I’ll get two baos and a portion of fries. The Baby Bao original fries honestly changed my life. I’m not even being dramatic. How did I live 20-something years on this planet and never think to put hoisin sauce on fries?! They come with hoisin sauce, miso mayo, sriracha, peanuts and crispy fried onions and they are the best portion of chips I’ve ever had in my life. I’ll defend them against any other portion of fries out there, seriously. They. Are. Sensational.
This time I decided to go all bao so I didn’t get any sides, but my favourites are the tempura cauliflower and the sticky fried chicken wings. I’ve never had one of their dessert bao’s because I’m more of a savoury gal than a sweet one, but I’ve heard the donut baos are amazing.
In case it isn’t already obvious, I would definitively say Baby Bao is the best food in Brighton. Yep. THE BEST! The portions are amazing and the value for money is great, it’s introduced me to a whole new world of flavour and food type, The Pond is a bangin’ place for a pint and there’s always good dogs in there. What more could you want?!
Follow Baby Bao on Instagram and see their menu at The Pond here.
The Brighton Blogger 