BaoBae — Restaurant in Zurich

Ah, BaoBae — the newest glittering ingénue in Zürich’s ever-thirsty dining scene, brought to you by the same glamorous minds behind Gaijin Izakaya and Old Inn. Naturally, I arrived in my finest silk kaftan, expectations higher than a Lake Como divorce settlement. I was ready for fireworks. What I got felt more like a lukewarm Tuesday at a business hotel in Offenbach.

Let’s start with the setting:The location has all the charm of an underground car park that moonlights as a startup co-working space. Think half-finished walls, confused lighting, and the faint scent of ambition in decline. It’s not so much "industrial chic" as it is corporate feng shui gone rogue. I’ve seen more atmosphere in a duty-free lounge in Baku.

But perhaps, I thought, this is part of the concept. You know, post-ironic dystopian dining. Eat your sadness surrounded by scaffolding. So I clutched my cocktail — which, to be fair, was divine — and awaited transcendence.

The food, however, took that notion and beat it with a velvet glove.

Duck Salad — a misleading title. What arrived was a protein pile-up: mostly duck, with cucumbers making a cameo like a washed-up soap star at a Monaco yacht party. No herbs, no brightness, no zing. Just meat. So much meat. It felt like a charcuterie board for people who’ve never met a lemon.

Walnut Prawns — darling, I’ve had better in a Vegas food court at 3am wearing heels made of regret. The prawns were encased in fried armor and slathered in a sauce that can only be described as Big Mac meets banquet shame. If Ronald McDonald were on a tasting panel in Shanghai, this would be his fever dream.

Cumin Lamb — oh the fragrance! For a brief moment I thought redemption had arrived in the form of Szechuan incense. But no — it was mostly fat. Chewing through it felt like penance for sins I haven’t committed yet. The flavor whispered promise; the texture screamed betrayal.

Chicken Wings — crisp, spiced, and genuinely enjoyable. But let’s be honest: if your most impressive dish is something available on UberEats at 2am with a side of regret and a free Sprite, you might want to reconsider your place in the culinary aristocracy.

And yet — the cocktails. Glorious. Silky. Sassy. The only things in that room with a clear identity. Like trust fund babies who’ve just finished their mixology gap year in Bali. They carried the evening on the strength of their basil infusions and citrus-forward charm.

Service? Kind, attentive, possibly aware they were overseeing a beautifully dressed disappointment. They wore their politeness like silk gloves at a crumbling gala.

FINAL VERDICT: BaoBae is the culinary equivalent of a Mayfair debutante with a six-figure wardrobe and no personality. All the right lineage, none of the sparkle. A tragic case of style over substance with just enough charm to make you order another drink while wondering where it all went wrong. Would I return? Only for the cocktails — and only if seated far enough from the kitchen to preserve the...

FIVE STAR EXPERIENCE, HAIYAA!

Went to Baobae by Chef Dan Shu for Love Anniversary.

Walk into Baobae, and BOOM — flavor slap you in face like Asian mum when you forget to wash rice. So good, make me want to cry. Real tear, not from chili.

First dish come out, THE BAOBAE. Soft like grandma’s hug, crispy beef like it trained in Shaolin Temple. Sauce Gribiche? Haiyaa… I don’t know what it is but I want to marry it. Eat two pieces, consider third wife.

WALNUT PRAWNS — sweet, crunchy, spicy… like toxic ex you still text after 2 a.m. Like shrimp went to private school and now drive nice car. 10/10 would ghost all other prawns for these.

Then come Bluefin/Yellowfin Sashimi. Fish so fresh it probably had plans for the weekend. Sauce on the side like James Bond villain — smooth, dangerous, and slightly sweet. Eat it and suddenly I fluent in three languages, including Flavour.

And the General Shu’s Chicken — who is this General? I want to join his army. Sauce so sticky and flavorful, I lick plate when nobody looking (maybe somebody did, don’t care).

Ash’s Honey Butter Crisps for dessert — potato chips and gelato?? Haiyaa this not snack, this foreplay. Crunch so loud it summon neighbor. Ice cream so creamy, I blushed. This dish is Netflix and chill in a bowl. If you know, you know.

Service: friendly like aunty at family BBQ, but cool like Gen Z cousin who know K-Pop dance. Ambience: chic, fun, not too fancy. Just right — like MSG in everything.

Big respect to Chef Dan Shu. You take street food, give it PhD and Michelin dream.

Chef Dan Shu… you are flavor wizard. Food philosopher. Bao whisperer.

FOOD SO GOOD, MAKES YOUR ANCESTORS PROUD. 👴👵💮

Will come back. Will bring whole family. Even the ones I...

Will always try any restaurant Chef Dan starts! Overall I really enjoyed the food and managed to chat to Dan after the meal to already go through some of the feedback.

Favourite dishes: 1) the BaoBae - super tender meat with the gribiche/pickled onions making it a tasty bite. 2) Cheese Burger Dumplings. Presented in a cool way (dat cheese disc though) and so tasty with all the components in a bite.

For drinks, the Lemon Sake Cocktail was superb. Love the review complaining about the size of the ice - maybe their first cocktail ever?

There were a few things that could be improved for me: firstly, expectation settings in terms of the speed dishes come to the table. I thought there would be a bit more time and sometimes found myself rushing to eat one thing as the next one had showed up. I reckon a quick heads up on entry would’ve sorted that.

A couple of the dishes were good but not the taste bomb I’ve come to expect from the sister restaurants. 1) I felt the prawn got lost in the Prawn Toast - sandwiched between 2 pieces of bread with the spicy mayo and pickled veggies it just didn’t come through. 2) not that I’m hating on prawns but with the Walnut Prawns I felt that something was missing (possibly some heat or maybe a citrus kick)? I will they were plump and tender, though!

I’ll be back to try...