Maksym KuzaievI was babysitting my nephew recently and we came across an old Disney short called “Bao”, which was raw, emotional, and featured a sentient dumpling. Don’t let me spoil it for you, you should watch it yourself – it’s excellent stuff.
But all I could think about after was I’m craving bao. I don’t know if that was the producer’s intention, probably not. But as they say, the author is dead, and now I want a fluffy and flavorful bao.
So I went searching for bao bars in Ottawa, and the city delivered. I asked my team for help in checking them out, and we’ve come up with this list just for you. So whether you’re craving Asian food or looking for a quick snack, read on for your next bao stop!
Gongfu Bao
Media Credit: gongfubao
Address: 365 Bank St.
Contact: +1 613-454-5963
Business Hours:
- Wednesday-Friday (4 PM – 10 PM)
- Saturday (11 AM – 2 PM; 4 PM – 10 PM)
- Closed on Sundays-Tuesdays
Gongfu is known for the variety and unique flavors of its handcrafted baos – braised brisket, Berkshire pork, red-braised tofu “belly”, fried chicken, and 5Spice lion’s mane (mushroom). All of their baos are tasty, with well-distributed filling, and juicy without making the bun mushy.
Aside from savory baos, they also have sweet buns for dessert if you want to indulge. They have the perfectly-cooked golden mantou with your choice of dip and a satisfying coconut bun on their menu. But the salted chocolate-dipped cream bun takes the cake.
They also serve other Chinese and Taiwanese favorites. Their staff are very welcoming, and the ambience of the place passed the vibe check. It’s definitely a great place to bring friends and coworkers for a quick and delicious bao fix.
While their baos are on the expensive side, the quality and flavor of the buns make splurging for them worth it.
Pro Tip:
You’re allowed to mix and match two baos in an order if you want to taste them all. You’ll just be charged for the more expensive kind.
Chef Bai Noodles soup & Bao 白家老汤
Media Credit: chefbainoodlesbao
Address: 286 Bank St
Contact: +1 613-233-7888
Business Hours: Daily (11:30 AM – 1 AM)
If you’re in the mood for Asian fusion, Chef Bai is a must-try. We love their innovative spin on traditional food. It’s cool how they elevate flavors you’ve loved growing up, while still retaining the heart of the dish. It shows mastery of the craft.
They have two amazing signature baos, the traditional pork bao and the Northern classic beef bao. The steamed baos have generous fillings with soft and fluffy buns – light and airy when you sink your teeth into them. They always taste fresh and satisfying.
Having their bao with a classic ramen bowl or potato soup is so comforting. The prices are also reasonable for the quality; you get a lot of bang for your buck.
Pro Tip:
They sometimes offer a Buy 1, Get 1 Free promo for their dishes, including their traditional fresh pork bao. Follow their social media to stay in the loop on good deals!
Datsun
Media Credit: eatdatsun
Address: 380 Elgin St
Contact: +1 613-421-7411
Business Hours:
- Monday-Thursday (5 PM – 10 PM)
- Friday-Saturday (5 PM – 11 PM)
- Closed on Sundays
This modern restaurant is well-loved for its comforting and umami Asian fusion dishes. They don’t have an extensive menu like traditional Asian restaurants; they specialize in steam buns, dumplings, and noodles.
They have an interesting take on bao. They serve combinations that don’t seem like they’ll work but turn out amazing.
One of their interesting baos is the lacquered pork belly bao with broad bean sauce and fresh cucumber, which balances the richness of the pork and sauce.
For chicken and fish lovers, they have crispy chicken bao with ranch dressing and furikake, and crispy cod bao with toasted nori. If you’re vegetarian, they also have a crispy organic tofu bao that they serve with house pickles.
They bring together elements from different cultures into a tasty culinary adventure. With warm and personable staff and reasonable prices, it’s a place you’ll always go back to.
Pro Tip:
Their cocktails are a must-try. The Tokyo Drift and Sake Sour are fresh and delicious, and pair well with their dumplings and steamed buns.
Yimin Dim Sum House
Media Credit: fattyfilfeasts
Address: 662 Somerset St W
Contact: +1 613-238-8828
Business Hours: Daily (11 AM – 11 PM)
Yumin Dim Sum House is a traditional Chinese restaurant that specializes in all kinds of dim sum. Their prices are affordable, and the food is always served hot and fresh. We appreciate how intentional they are with the preparation of their dishes.
We first discovered this restaurant through family dinners, and it’s perfect for those events because the menu is extensive. There’s something for everybody, whether they want meat, vegetables, or sweets.
Their steamed barbecue pork bun is a crowd favorite because of its sweet and savory combo and the bun is pillowy.
They also have traditional steamed buns filled with lotus seed and red bean paste that are worth trying. They’re not overly sweet, you can taste the delicate balance of flavors in the bun.
Pro Tip:
Try the deep fried buns with condensed milk for dessert.
Shanghai ONE Fine Dining 外滩壹号
Address: 1872 Merivale Rd unit c, Nepean
Contact: +1 613-686-1380
Business Hours: Daily (11 AM – 9 PM)
Founded in 2017, Shanghai ONE Fining Dining is a well-known Chinese restaurant where people celebrate special occasions.
They offer different kinds of baos, such as the steamed BBQ pork bun, custard egg bun, and steamed chicken bun. They’re tasty, filling, and come in large portions, so you’ll get your money’s worth.
They have an extensive menu offering stir-fried dishes, spring rolls, congee, and even salt and pepper shrimp, etc. There are so many options.
We like that they also have a CAD 99 dinner menu with premium items such as lobster, beef soup, and roasted duck skin. This is perfect for those who want to treat themselves to a fancy meal.
Pro Tip:
Five words. Deep-fried stuffed crab claw. Trust us.
