Off the Grid is bringing bao to Late Night at the deYoung on Thursday, June 12 from 5 to 10pm! Enjoy the cinematic worlds of Isaac Julien: I Dream a World while enjoying live music, snapping a pic at the photo booth, and sipping on a cocktail. You can also grab dinner from Curveball Sliders, Momolicious, El Sur, or Sunrise Deli. Tickets start at $30 and admission begins at 6pm. 21+ only event. The first 200 guests get a free cute bao from The Chinita Baker in the form of a pig or panda.
Who is The Chinita Baker?
The Chinita Baker was started in 2020 by Gladys De Guzman-Nguyen. This isn’t your typical bakery, there are both sweet and savory dishes with an Asian twist. The cheese brioche buns are infused with either ube or pandan for a hit of earthiness and fragrance. There’s also a matcha mucho decadence cake with a chocolatey base drizzled with milky matcha caramel. For those whose ideal version of a treat is a handful of cheese, there’s a meaty lasagna tray.
What are Bao?
Bao, or Baozi, are fluffy Chinese buns with sweet or savory fillings. They’re made with a leavened dough which ensures they’re airy and light. Then, they’re steamed until they puff up. Bao are traditionally filled before steaming, but they’re sometimes filled after. Bao originated in Northern China in the third century and evolved to many different forms today. We’ll walk you through popular types of bao along with the kinds of fillings you’ll find around the world today.
The History of Decorated Bao
Animal-shaped bao are a recent phenomenon, but shaping bao in the forms of living creatures is rooted in traditions. During the Qingming Festival in China, dough is molded into snakes, birds, and other creatures. These are more for decoration than part of a meal. A popular version of the dish is shaped like dogs and served at Din Tai Fung around Lunar New Year.
Types of Bao
Sweet Bao
The most common sweet bao fillings include black sesame paste, custard, fruit compote, jam, and spiced root vegetables like taro.
Savory Bao
Savory bao are typically filled with meat. A popular filling is char siu (red Chinese barbecue pork). Tangbao and xiao long bao are both filled with gelatinous broth that melts into soup during the steaming process.
Regional Bao
Outside of China, bao have taken new forms in other cuisines. In Malaysia, they’re often filled with potato beef, or chicken curry. In Indonesia, bao are filled with chocolate, sweet potato, or marmalade. Filipino bao is typically filled with bbq pork, meatballs, tuna, chocolate, or cheese. In Korea, bao is typically filled with red bean paste.
How Bao Are Enjoyed
Bao are the ideal street food because they can be eaten easily on the go without making a mess. They’re also typically served as a part of dim sum along with dumplings and other small plate Chinese dishes. Today, you can find bao filled with pretty much anything. The Bay Area is a particularly good place to try unique bao creations stuffed with fillings like Korean chicken, ahi tuna, or nutella.
