Baohaus
137 Rivington Street
(Between Norfolk & Suffolk Sts.)
New York, NY 10002
(646) 684-3835
www.baohausnyc.com
Taiwanese Gao Bao, or steamed buns, resemble Chinese hamburgers and have made a comfortable and savory home at the Lower East Side's Baohaus. Opened in December 2009, Baohaus features all varieties of stuffed boa, from traditional pork to a vegetarian tofu.
Steamed in lotus leaves, Baohau's stuffed buns are anything but ordinary. The customer favorite and cleverly named Chairman Bao ($4) is filled with Niman Ranch Pork Belly that was first flash-fried and then braised in rice wine, soy sauce, rock sugar, ginger, and star anise-called "red cooking"-and is topped with crushed peanuts, cilantro, Haus Relish, and Taiwanese red sugar. Featured on the Food Network, the Haus Bao ($4.50) is composed of "red-cooked" certified Angus Skirtsteak Bao, spiked with moutai, a 100-plus-proof sorghum liquor.
Vegetarians will fall in love with Uncle Jess. The only vegetation option, the Uncle Jesse ($3.50) is stuffed with pan-fried tofu, coated in sweet potato starch, and, like all the others, also topped with crushed peanuts, cilantro, Haus Relish, and Taiwanese red sugar.
Sweet fried slices of bao ($3.50) are Baohaus version of fries and served with a sweet sesame dipping sauce.
Baohaus' menu may be limited, but a few dishes are all they need to hit the bao right on its bun!
