Little Bao (Causeway Bay) — Restaurant in Hong Kong Island

When I was planning this trip to HK, I made sure to include one meal at Little Bao. I've heard about Chef May through the Asian Food Channel and was curious about her food especially she is Asia's Best Female Chef 2017, right after Chef Margarita Fores.

The reservation, which I would recommend you to do, through their site was easy and quick. They also send you a reminder for confirmation on the date of reservation. When we got there, were were greeted by the manager, JR, who happens to be pinoy also! What a treat! A slice of Filipino hospitality in HK. Radiant smile, and a warm welcome, he made sure our experience was enjoyable.

After a few moments of chitchat, we got three baos: Pork Belly Bao, Fried Chicken Bao, and Fish Bao 2.0. There were three of us, and it fed us quite fully. I would have loved to try the other stuff but that is reserved for the next visit. On this visit, I focused on the baos that Chef May is so famous for.

Among the three, our favorite was the Fish Bao 2.0. It was so simple yet executed perfectly! They always say that the simplest recipe is the easiest to screw up. Overcooking this fish and drying it out can happen in a blink! The fish had a delightful crunch on the outside, and the fish was juicy and glistening on the inside. Perfect. The tartar sauce and cheese provides another blanket of flavor that still highlights the fish. Those who said that you cannot put cheese and fish together, no offense, but you are missing out!

The Pork Belly Bao, and Fried Chicken Bao were stars on their own. What a treat to experience the szechuan pepper-zing in the Fried Chicken Bao. It wasn't too much that it pains numbs your tastebuds. Everything was well-balanced. The Pork Belly is really tender and flavorful, a good contrast from the crunchiness offered by the other two baos.

Looking forward to my next trip to HK and LIttle Bao. I hope I could meet Chey May next time. She wasn't around when I was there sadly. Would have love to talk to her.

Thank you, JR for your hospitality! Extend my thanks to the rest of the staff especially the chefs in the kitchen. Well...

I visited Little Bao in Central once. That branch is always so busy with a line outside the restaurant. This branch in Causeway Bay is comparatively less busy, as there are more seats inside the restaurant as well as outside. Since my former colleague works in Causeway Bay, we decided to visit this branch for a little catch up.

Both of us had a big lunch for Chinese New Year and were still quite full, so we just ordered two baos and two ice cream baos to share, which were enough to fill our tummies.

This Pork Belly Bao is a Little Bao signature. The bun was so fluffy and enjoyable! The pork belly was not really fat in a good way, yet it still had the fatty aroma and delicious taste. The stuffings were very enjoyable too, as they went so well with the bun and the pork belly.

I have zero resistance to Impossible Food, therefore we got this Impossible Bao also. The plant-based “meat” patty was so yummy! And as usual, it tasted like real meat and had a texture similar to real meat. Former colleague loved the sauce in particular, which was a bit sour and sweet.

There are only two ice cream baos on the menu, so we ordered one each to share. Both baos were made with deep fried buns, which were so crunchy and tasty, yet not greasy at all. This one with green tea ice cream was simply nice, if you know how matcha desserts are like.

This one is with salted ice cream and caramel sauce. It’s not like ordinary salted caramel ice cream, which is usually sweeter and more filling. But this one was lighter and more...

I only eat Chinese steamed buns if the quality is good but the ones you get in dim sum places are filled with fatty meat or fillings that are too sweet. Little Bao which turns the boring steamed buns into burgers. The menu is simple, dishes for sharing, baos and dessert. I was there for the Bao only so I ordered the chicken one. ★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★ Chicken Bao: Chicken, black vinegar glaze, szechuan mayo, napa cabbage, coleslaw. It was definitely dinky and lives up to its name Little Bao. I loved the texture of the steamed but, it was soft but not too soft that it held together well as a burger bun and the filling in the middle was amazing. The crispy chicken was delicious with the tart medley of julienne cabbage and coleslaw with a gorgeous creamy taste that got jazzed up with szechuan mayo. The szechuan mayo did not have a fiery tone but had a slow tingling sensation that accumulated when you finished the bun and there was a fragrant taste of szechuan peppercorn. The only flaw was that it was not hot enough temperature wise. Anyway, while other bao competitors failed in Hong Kong, Little Bao is evidently successful. The new diner is much more hip and stylish...