BaoziInn has been making the rounds on social media recently - its brightly coloured, perfectly formed dumplings; its attractive dining room, showered in natural light - featuring sleek oak wood tables, lanterns, and shutters - are exquisite to the eye. But I'm naturally sceptical of Instagram food trends - so I had to try it out myself.
Did it live up to the hype? YES.
We were situated in an intimate, cosy dining room - an attractive homage to the Mao-era canteens of yesteryear's Northern China. The music was pleasant and the atmosphere relaxed.
The food was excellent - all-day Cantonese Dim Sum with Sichuan and Hunan influences, and the bold, robust Northern Chinese flavours were felt throughout all of the steamed goodness. I am a huge Dim Sum fan, and I can comfortably say this is some of the best I've had in London.
A highlight for me was the assorted Xiao Long Bao with minced pork - a selection of buns filled with experimental flavours such as jackfruit, bloody mary (!) and Sichuan hot and sour sauce. The broth within - at this point, more of a sauce - was an incredible, sharp burst of flavour once slurped up and the pork was perfectly cooked.
The prawn and chive dumplings were enclosed in a spinach juice pastry and were once more perfectly formed and cooked - bursting with sharp flavours. The jiaozi dumplings with pork filling nestled in an intense, spicy, umami-packed XO sauce. The wontons were fabulous - perfectly balancing the flavours of mixed vegetables, tender pork filling, spring onions, and potent spices. Don't miss the special fried rice in that heavenly XO sauce - some of the best fried rice I've tried: absolutely erupting in Cantonese flavours.
From the moment I took my first bite, I regretted not ordering more - the menu is diverse and extensive - but I'll certainly be back when I'm in need of a dim sum fix.
(INSTAGRAM: @ourappetites)
Me and my girlfriend went here for her birthday this evening. We had the most fantastic time. The food was absolutely exquisite, a large variation and a fun way of ticking off what food you want on a sheet! Our server was Joseph who was brilliant, extremely friendly and catered to our every need. He really represented the place well and is clearly an asset to their team. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves Chinese food!
We ordered some starters, buns, and dumplings. The food came out quickly, and the servers were really helpful in explaining the order to eat everything and making sure the food was stacked to stay warm. The cucumber in chili oil was delicious, and the meat buns and dumplings were a hit! The vegetable dumplings and buns were decent but not amazing I would say. Overall, a great experience with very helpful and friendly staff, will definitely come back.
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