Bao Bao Cafe

One Killer Roast Beef Hero — and Other Cheap Eats - Eater NY

"If you're one of those people who likes to eat from a bowl, and favors food with Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese influences, Bao Bao may be your FiDi place. The menu is evenly divided between noodle bowls and over-rice bowls. On a recent visit, I particularly enjoyed 'beef over rice' (designated R2). At the bottom was a lot of perfectly cooked short grain rice, with a leafy crown of baby tatsoi that completely covered the rice. On top of that was thin sliced beef with a slightly sweet and spicy flavor. Ramens, hot pots, and snacks like tea eggs and enoki mushroom salads add depth to the menu. Though no dumplings, alas. There's another branch on lower Lexington Avenue." - Robert Sietsema