Mr Bao

An izakaya is maybe not the first place I would think to bring underaged guests.

However, I was desperate to get out of the house and this looked like somewhere half decent which was within walking distance.

After having arrived and admired the dried flower arrangement, I thought it was time to eat.  I could only hope that the food would be as tasty as the floral piece or perhaps I really was just that hungry.

Crispy gouchujang cauliflower.  Never had this before.  A very interesting dish as it was meaty and filling.  The look and texture almost convinced me this was meat.  It was only the taste that gave it away as it lacked that ummai bite.  Something to try again.

Fried chicken, smoky miso mayo.  In comparison to what had gone before, this was full of ummai notes.  With generous portions of chicken inside juicy casing, this was great.  The crispy outside was delicate and crispy, the mayo was a bit of overkill though.  Could have done with something a bit lighter.

Handmade dumplings.  I think they advertised this as having wagyu beef inside.  They were nice but a bit dear in price for four dumplings.  I do get a bit annoyed at how the name “wagyu” is abused time and time again.  It is just a breed of cow, which can be from almost anywhere.  Wagyu just means Japanese beef, kind of like saying that I’m eating British carrot.  Nothing really that special (or might actually discourage you).  These were ok but nothing that stand out.

Drunken prawn bao, marinated prawns, fried, picked mooli, spliced spring onion.  A fluffy bun with juicy prawns.  Here, they had managed that difficult task of trying to not have the bun overpower the filling.  They succeeded as they kept the buns from going soggy and the prawn crunchy.  Tasty and fulsome prawns inside with pickled radish like vegetable (mooli), this worked well.

Beef burnt ends bao, BBQ shredded beef chuck, burnt onion sauce, pickled mooli, red cabbage slaw.  Strangely, in comparison to the prawns, they got the balance completely the wrong way round this time.  Here, the beef overpowered and the sauce soaked into the bun.  Leaving sour and soggy bun behind.  Would have been better with a bit less beef sauce.

Bec Bao, char siu bacon, peanut chilli crisp, onsen egg, burnt cheese.  An innovative idea which was kind of pulled off well.  I say kind of, as the egg was a bit overcooked.  If it was half boiled instead, the oozing of the yolk over the bun and bacon would have made it rather excellent.

Hash brown bao, crispy hash brown, shiitake, cheese, chili bean sauce.  I was deserted by my dining companion for this one.  On account of this being carb on carb.  I think they were being a bit of a sissy here.  Think about fluffy rice bread with crispy potato on top topped off by mushroom, cheese and spicy sauce?  That was something rather good although I can understand those looking away given its fattening nature and the media’s message of the evil of carbohydrates.

This place was more than half decent.  It had some interesting combinations to try, some which worked and some which didn’t.  On balance though, it was a good meal, so much so that I might return.  Yet I might give that burnt ends bao a pass.  Instead I’ll go for something more at the beginning (har har).

A quiet eating 8/10.

Lunch (1 course equivalent) was about GBP20 per person excluding drinks and service.

Mr Bao

93-295 Rye Ln,
London, SE15 4UA