Mean Bao - a tasty snack

Mean Bao
Village by the Grange 275 Dundas Street W, #19
Toronto, ON M5T 3K1
(416) 850-5616
http://www.meanbaotoronto.com/

I went to Mean Bao (a cute take on the pronounciation of the word bread in Cantonese) recently for a quick lunch.  Open for about 2 years now, the brand has expanded and will be opening a third location in Toronto's Queen East area (according to one of the founders who happen to be there that afternoon).

Mean Bao serves up Taiwanese inspired steamed buns filled with savory pork belly (known as  割包 "gua bao" in Taiwan) and several other buns with differing meat options.  In the last few years Toronto has seen this item appear on the menus of a number of restaurants and has become quite popular, especially after David Chang of Momofuku Noodle Bar first introduced his Steamed Pork Bun version in New York a decade ago (read here).  Note, Chang's version is not authentic tasting Taiwanese gua bao but it did make a mark and made people take notice.

Anyway, back to Mean Bao.  They also serve other items such as dumplings and quinoa lunch boxes but the pork belly baos are probably the most popular; and after tasting, I can see why!  I tried the pork belly and the braised beef bao (both were $3.95).  The pork belly was very tender. The layer of fat held it's shape and was uber soft.  I'm not one to eat a lot of fat but have grown to enjoy this fatty treat.  The flavour of the braised pork belly was very nice with the five spice seasoning and star anise.  I only wish the piece of pork was just a tad bigger for the price!  Topped with pickled veggies it was well paired.

Pork belly bao

The braised beef bao was okay, the flavour didn't leave much of an impression, but I think it was also a little too lean for my taste.  A little bit of fat would improve the flavour and texture but I can also see others loving the lean meat.  Maybe offering lean or fatty options would allow for more appeal.

The bun itself was so light and pillow soft, it tasted like it was made fresh - loved it.

It definitely brings me back to Taiwan where I had these wonderful little buns from street vendors.  I remember one little shop in one of the back alleys of Shida night market.  It was just a open window of a door and they offered these steamed buns filled with pork belly, lean pork, fried pork cutlet or fried chicken.  Topped with cilantro and peanuts, it was soooo tasty.  This pork belly bao reminds me of that shop except when I ate one in Taiwan, that was enough for a meal.  Maybe my appetite is bigger now, lol!