BAO Marylebone is a Taiwanese restaurant at 56 James Street in St Christopher’s Place. Designed as a translation of a Taiwanese xiao chi house, it offers quick cold dishes, freshly folded dumplings, steamed bao and small plates throughout the day. Counter seats overlook the open kitchen, while additional tables and a lower floor accommodate longer meals and groups.
The classic bao encloses soy braised pork belly with fermented mustard greens, coriander and peanut powder. Fried chicken comes with Sichuan mayonnaise, hot sauce and golden kimchi, while beef short rib is paired with onions and gherkin. Prawn Shia Song fills a fried hot dog style bao, and crisp daikon croquette versions provide vegetarian choices.
Dumplings come with fillings such as prawns, lamb or mushrooms and are finished with soy chilli oil, sesame, chilli crisp or fragrant chives and ginger. Taiwanese beef noodle soup combines slowly cooked beef cheek with fermented mustard greens and spiced beef fat. Dan dan noodles use handmade noodles, chilli oil, soy vinegar, fermented greens and minced tofu for a deeply savoury vegan bowl.
Taiwanese fried chicken is marinated before frying and served with hot sauce, while a larger chicken steak adds a chilli and lime dressing. Rice choices include charcoal grilled yellow chilli chicken and braised pork lu rou fan. Soy glazed aubergine, smacked cucumber, house pickles and other xiao chi plates complete a sharing meal, supported by cocktails, beer, dream soft drinks and sweet dessert bao.
Address: 56 James Street, Marylebone, London W1U 1HF, United Kingdom