Source:
https://scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1887981/newly-opened-bao-bei-central-pan-asian-fusion-fun
Lifestyle/ Food & Drink

Newly opened Bao Bei, Central - pan-Asian fusion fun

With dishes like “baoger” and “baowich”, the fare at this Wyndham Street newcomer riffs on the bao, a Chinese steamed bun. We liked some dishes, but others lacked taste

Bernice Chan
Bernice Chan

Updated: 5:20pm, 8 Dec, 2015

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This handout image shows Mapo tofu fries at Bao Bei on Wyndham Street in Central. [07DECEMBER2015 FEATURES FIRST SERVED ONLINE]

The Carfield Building at 77 Wyndham Street in Central is home to several restaurants, including Koko, a new Japanese izakaya. Also new is the pan-Asian Bao Bei, which is still in its soft opening phase and has yet to receive its liquor licence. We liked the small, intimate space with curved banquet seating and horseshoe-shaped chairs.

We started with the Bao Bei salad (HK$68), which had julienned green papaya with long beans, cherry tomatoes, dried shrimps, crushed peanuts and a house-made Thai chilli dressing for a bit of a kick.

Banana Nutella crepe wontons at Bao Bei.
Banana Nutella crepe wontons at Bao Bei.
The word “bao” in Bao Bei refers to steamed Chinese buns, variations of which appear on the menu. The wagyu beef “baoger” (HK$98) featured a juicy patty, and while black fungus gave it a crunchy texture, it would have been better with the addition of pickled vegetables, which would have helped cut through the richness of the meat, as well as giving flavour.
The bar at Bao Bei. At the time we visited, it was still awaiting a liquor licence.
The bar at Bao Bei. At the time we visited, it was still awaiting a liquor licence.
Mapo tofu fries (HK$88) sounds like a tempting fusion dish, with cubes of soft tofu, minced pork and chilli oil topping the unevenly cooked fries, but it had only a slight hint of the mala spice and needed more Sichuan peppercorns.

For dessert we were looking forward to the banana Nutella crepe wontons (HK$78) that looked like little packages tied up with a string made of jelly candy. The wontons were disappointing because they were filled with mini marshmallows that overwhelmed the scant amount of Nutella.

We preferred the deep-fried milk pudding (HK$78), served with mini squeeze tubes filled with passion fruit sauce to inject into the dessert. The interior of the milk pudding was smooth and contrasted with the deep-fried crust, while the passion fruit added a welcome tartness.

Bao Bei, Shop 1, B1/F Carfield Commercial Building, 77 Wyndham Street, Central, tel: 2801 7779