The national bao trend has hit Orlando full-on now that we have a bao-only enterprise. King Bao restaurant opened in late April, bringing us a selection of sweetish buns stuffed with fillings from the Orient.
The King Bao restaurant is less than two weeks old so it's not fair to do an all-out review. Instead, I'll say just this: The dining room is inviting if barebones. The service is warm. And the food has promise. My group was impressed with the ingredients' freshness and the variety of fillings. Plus, the prices couldn't be better: $3 to $3.75 per bao. Two or three per person makes a meal. On the down side, we would have liked bolder flavors, bigger portions (but then again, look at the low prices), and maybe buns that were a little less elastic and sweet.
On the Menu at the King Bao Restaurant
Here's what we sampled.
Try it for yourself. The King Bao restaurant is located in Orlando's Mills 50 District where Rhapsodic Bakery used to be, across from the Mills Avenue 7-11. I expect that, with a few tweaks and a couple more tables, this will grow into a neighborhood staple.
More food fun in Mills 50. Take a bao adventure.
Rona