Thursday, June 16, 2011

Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie

BaoBei
Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie serves up tapas style Asian fusion. Since the portions are small, they are great for sharing.  Perfect for a party of 4 but if your party is larger you would probably have to order 2 of everything.   The space is long and tables are tightly packed.  A very quaint and cosy setting - hip chinois yet once seated it felt like I was sitting in my grandma's dining room in the 1970s,  old-style chopsticks, spoons, bowls, wooden tables and chairs - a real blast from the past.
Tofu Duet -Fried hot with sweet soy, garlic sauce and water chestnuts / 
Chilled with scallion, soy, cilantro, pickled chilies and sesame oil
Sticky Rice Cakes - Stir fried julienned pork, salted mustard greens, wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots 
Crispy Pork Belly -Sautee of soybeans, Asian cucumber, chili and garlic, 
pickled red onion, tamarind, star anise tomato sauce
The pork belly wasn't as crispy as I had imagined but the pickled onion went well with the tangy sauce and pork belly.
Shao Bing - Crunchy sesame flatbread with braised pork butt, Asian pear, pickled onion and mustard greens
I liked the crunchy, fragrant sesame flatbread and thought that the combination of the pork, the Asian pear and pickled onion were very unusual. I throughly enjoyed it and wanted more than my fair share.
Manila Clams -Butter, Shaoxing, ginger, scallion, rau ram, and cilantro
Dan Dan Noodle
After the meal, we were too full for dessert.  It was a nice treat and most of the dishes were tasty for Asian fusion but not outstanding.  I will however come back for the Shao Bing and the fried rice (didn't get a picture of this).  

Bao Bei was already full and bustling when we were seated at 6.  When we left, the queue was out the door.  They don't allow reservations unless it's for a party of 10.  Best to eat early to avoid the queue or have a drink at the bar while waiting.  I hear their cocktails are pretty good.  

There is also the Chinatown Night Market in summer which has started up so if you get fed up of waiting for a table - try out the chinese street food outside to satisfy your hunger in the meanwhile. 
Chinatown Night Market
BaoBei Chinese Brasserie
163 Keefer St
(604) 688 0876
http://bao-bei.ca/
Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie on Urbanspoon

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