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| - There are certain Chinese snacks that are just downright sexy, and I think it's no accident that two of my favorites have the word bao, one being the xiao long bao (soup dumpling) and the other being the Taiwanese bao with braised pork belly. Every time I see a photo of either one of these delectable treats, I feel like some food porn music should be cued in from the background (bao chicka bao bao!)
As much as I like the burgers at Bachi Burger, their rendition of Taiwanese bao recently bummed me out (nothing sexy about hardboiled eggs). This indirectly prompted me on a quest to find a place in Vegas that delivered the goods, and little did I know my quest would be completed within a true hole-in-the-wall inside a beauty salon. Upon walking in I am greeted by various ladies asking if I need a haircut and when I mention I am here for food they direct me towards the back where a pleasant gentleman is literally standing inside a space much like Lucy Van Pelt offering 5cents for psychiatric advice.
As a first-timer, he recommends that I get the pork belly bao and sesame noodles and the food is prepared fresh to order. As I am chatting up Chef Sheridan Su, I learn that he used to work in the kitchens at Comme Ca, Society, and Wazuzu on the strip, as well as in Mexico City and Barcelona. I am inspired by the fact that he packed up his knives upon deciding he wanted to be his own boss and took up his savings to invest in a humble project making food inspired by his heritage, perhaps as a starting point to generate capital for something greater(incidentally, he chose the venue simply because it was the cheapest place available for rent on Craigslist)
When my order is ready, I take my first bite into the bao and all is right in the world. The white pillowy bun is perfectly steamed, the salty and unctuous pork belly fork tender, and the critical part missing in the Bachi version is the tartness of the chinese mustard greens and sweetness of the crushed peanut crumble (almost like a streudel) which synergize in perfect harmony. The sesame noodles are a nice accompaniment with a healthy spring upon chewing the noodles, and freshly grated carrot, cucumber, wood-eared mushrooms, and tofu go well with the sesame dressing. I probably would have added some chili oil or additional sesame paste to really perk up the flavors, but that's probably personal preference. Price point for the noodles is a bit high at 7 bucks, but if you want value, probably best to get the 3 bao + drink special at 10 bucks. I don't know if Chef Su is on his way to becoming the next David Chang, but I admire his spirit and plan to enjoy his handmade bao until he inevitably moves on to bigger and better things.
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