Overview
CBD dancefloor citadel Goodgood Small Club have announced Taiwanese street food aficionados Belly Bao as the next residents to take up their canteen space. Started by head chef Sylvia Tran in December 2013 as a market stall in Paddington and Glebe Markets, Belly Bao is geared up to take things four-walled for the very first time, opening for business on Wednesday, January 7.
Following the hot dog lovin' team at Andrew Levins' original eatery The Dip and the Caribbean jerk chickeners of the most residency, Jonkanoo Jerk House, Belly Bao is set to follow the canteen-like stylings of its predecessors — but with more love for the Bao.
A grassroots Taiwanese street food staple, a 'Gua Bao' is a handcrafted, taco-shaped steamed bun folded around braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts and coriander. But every GG canteen staple needs some creative interpretations, and Tran's restaurateur family background and years of eating her way through Asia have made some slight adjustments to tradition. Belly Bao have six-signature savoury Baos with fillings such as roast pork belly crackling, soft shell crab and Panko-crumbed chicken breast in mind, served with sweet potato fries and Asian slaw. Yep, perfect for noshing between epic dance sessions.
Second round, there's more South East Asian tastiness where that came from. Belly Bao will also be serving up street food staple BBC Fried Chicken — served crunchy, sticky or spicy in wings, half or whole chicken. Sweet tooths have something to look forward to as well, with Belly Bao's own special creation: Baoana and Strawbelly Bao (brioche-like golden fried Baos, filled with ice cream, topped with condensed milk and fruit).
With Tran and Belly Bao celebrating their very first permanent kitchen, and Goodgod raising a cocktail to its newfound housemates, 2015's looking pretty tasty for the CBD basement bar.
Belly Bao opens Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at Goodgod Small Club, 53 – 55 Liverpool Street, Chinatown.
Opening hours are Wednesday - Thursday 5 – 10pm, Saturday 6 – 10pm. To book a table email bookings@bellybao.com.au.
Image credit: Fiona Vuong