Prepare to be wowed by bao
- Where? Elephant & Castle (Mercato Metropolitano, 42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR)
- How much? £ – ££
- What? Street food & bar
- Book ahead? Not available Thursday – Saturdays / only for groups of 10+
- Vegetarian options? Yes
- Vegan options? Yes
- Gluten free options? Yes
Bao is one of my favourite dishes, you can rarely go wrong. A little cloud packed full of mouth-watering flavours, perfectly light and perfectly delicious! It’s no wonder then that the steaming counter of Fluffy Bao immediately caught my eye.
Located in the food quarter of Elephant & Castle’s Mercato Metropolitano, Fluffy Bao is rivalled by a plethora of tempting stands and multinational cuisine. Arrive on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, and you’ll be sure to browse each stall at least twice before you manage to find somewhere to sit. This vibrant and bubbly market has lots to offer: great food, great booze, great buzz…
…but not enough seating! Not to worry though, you will have plenty of time to make up your mind on what and where to order.
The Food
For £9 you can take away two of these doughy dim sum, and for £12.50 you can feast your gnashers on three. There are vegan, halal and gluten free alternatives, and the option to mix and match if you’re feeling indecisive.
1. Honey Glazed Pork Bao
8.5/10 – All four of us opted for the pork bao and were in universal agreement that it was by far our favourite! Pork bao tend to be a a safe bet, but nothing could have prepared me for this taste sensation. The pork was perfectly tender, sticky and sweet, with the perfect ratio of filling to bun. The additional crunch and savoury spell of cucumber, pickled carrots and crispy onions tied it all together. I savoured every bite!
2. Satay Chicken Bao
6.5/10 – These were also delicious, but not quite as sensational as the pork. Don’t get me wrong, the chicken was tender and the sauce was a creamy, nutty deluxe, but they didn’t have that extra something special. I would order both variations again however, and highly recommend that you take a trip down to Fluffy Bao to try these out yourself!
Calendar Girl 