Toni L.
Yelp
RESTAURANT REVIEW: BaoziInn
(Note: this is a limited review- centred on dumplings and dim sum - and not the other dishes on the menu)
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.
RATINGS:
Food: 4.5/5
Ambience 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Service: 3/5 (quite sloppy, I'm afraid)
OVERALL: 4/5
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