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BAO City

Taiwanese·
££££
·
Gold Award
·

SquareMeal Review of BAO City

Gold Award

BAO is back with its seventh restaurant in the capital, bringing its imaginative Taiwanese plates and KTV (karaoke TV) rooms to Bloomberg Arcade in London's Square Mile. Each site promises something distinct from the last, and this one comes straight from 80s Taiwan with rich cherrywood veneer panelling, burgundy banquets and a glowing, standalone lightbox attached to the ceiling, which gives one the feeling of being inside a spaceship - or the Tardis. As ever, BAO has followed through on the brief, creating an immersive, achingly cool hangout for punters to pop in for an in-and-out meal of flavour-bumped small plates and whacky drinks.

We order via its signature tick box ordering system: one ‘classic pork’ bao filled with fatty braised pork and crushed peanut powder. Two ‘prawn shia song’ filled with rich prawn mayo and stuffed inside a hot, deep-fried bao, not unlike a savoury doughnut. Yes, the bao are an obligatory order, but room should be saved for a selection of snacks and xiao chi to precede these. We attack a bulbous hunk of marinated aubergine somewhat aggressively with our chopsticks, attempting to rip off velvety chunks soaked in an umami chilli garlic glaze. Elsewhere, five neat mushroom dumplings arrive in another addictive oil of soy and kow choi (Chinese chives). Finally, we will forever uphold that the group's signature sweet Horlicks bao is one of the greatest puds in London: a cross between a doughnut and an ice cream sandwich featuring caramel-heavy, malty Horlicks ice cream and a crisp, fried bao bun.

We weren’t drinking on the night, which is no bad thing considering BAO’s softs selection is just as thought-provoking as the cocktails. An eye-wincing pomelo and yuzu soda balances big notes of citrus with just the right amount of sugar. It’s so good we order a second soda, this time a salted citrus drink reminiscent of homemade lemonade.

Every time we visit BAO we’re reminded of its brilliance, namely fast, fun, respectfully good-value food with a side of karaoke (if you fancy it).

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Taiwanese
Ambience
Cool, Cosy, Dark and moody, Fun, Lively, Quirky, Unique
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch
Special Features
Live music or dancing, Vegan options, Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celebrations, Group dining [8+]
Food Hygiene Rating

About

The most recent addition to the BAO empire, this Bloomberg Arcade location will be providing the food and the tunes, with all the much-loved BAO classics on offer, alongside a few private karaoke rooms. It's been almost a decade since BAO opened the doors to their first location in Soho, and the influence they have had on the London food scene has been undeniable. With five locations across the city, as well as two additional ‘noodle shops’ BAO has shown no signs of slowing down, and if it means it’s easier for us to get our hands on that fried chicken bao, we are not complaining.

The menu will be expanding upon the established hits available at all BAO locations, with a focus on group dining. Large, sharing plates will be on offer as well, listed on a blackboard and crossed out as soon as they have sold out, so you’ll want to get your order in quickly. You and your friends can look forward to tucking into a large, soy-glazed, grilled Taiwanese pork neck, served with pickled garlic and daikon to cut through the rich fattiness of the pork. Other offerings will include a whole grilled fish and a fermented plum sauce-glazed duck breast. Another new addition designed for group dinners are the frosty beer towers you are able to order directly to your table, so you can top up your glass as you please.

At either end of the dining room, you will find a private karaoke space, with room for up to 10 people in the smaller room, and 22 in the larger. Sandwiched in between them, diners in the main dining space will get to experience the infectious energy of karaoke without having to take part themselves. You will want to though, especially once you see massive catalogue of songs to choose from, as well as the exclusive menu offerings. Those partaking in karaoke will be able to order platters of mini bao, cocktails and even fried chicken served with caviar, all delivered directly to your karaoke room. Sounds like the perfect party to us.


FAQs

Can I book?

Yes, booking is advised - you can book via the website.

Helpful? 0

Are there vegan options?

Yes, BAO has a vegan menu.

Helpful? 0

Location

2-8 Bloomberg Arcade, City of London, London, EC4N 8AR
Website

Opening Times

All day
Mon 11:30-23:00
Tue 11:30-23:00
Wed 11:30-23:00
Thu 11:30-23:00
Fri 11:30-23:00
Sat 11:30-23:00
Sun 11:30-18:00

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