Bao-Bei in Vancouver

Please, please, please go to this restaurant...it is AMAZING! I was lucky enough to be invited out to my friend Aryn's birthday dinner with her fabulous folks and her man Rob. Ivan was working...sucks for him as he missed out on an incredible evening.

Bao-Bei is a newer resto in Vancouver's Chinatown...they don't take resos, which was just fine by me, because we sat and sipped the most amazing Margaritas with a chili- salt/sugared rim... it was divine. Rob said his Pina Colada was the 3rd best he had ever had (can't remember where the first 2 were) The time zipped by with great conversation and we were seated at a table in the back. The room...was very simple...almost bare walls...save for a few photos...some even by Polaroid...but I liked everything about it.

I am going to try to remember everything we ate...but I can assure you, even if I miss something...every damn dish was tremendous. We ordered a bottle of some fabulous white wine ..called Domaine Du Tariquet it was crisp and clean, with a hint of smoke and it paired wonderfully with our Asian adventure. The wine list is short, priced quite sweet and really all the variety you need with spicy foods.

Being the foodie I am...I love to let people order for me..it actually excites me, not knowing what will be served next. And eating tapa style is so much fun with a group of people...very social because you can all discuss the flavours and textures of the foods you are sharing....(TIP: you should be a foodie or at least enjoy Asian foods before coming here..and come with Foodie friends so you can share and enjoy the experience....leave the guy at home who only likes chicken...and tell him to get a life).

We started with the sticky rice cake which was delish...great texture and phenomenal flavour, as was the Shao-bing a braised pork-butt dish..but how could these possibly be topped by the Mantou....a modern take on a steamed pork bun, with braised beef short rib, peanuts and a pickle...WTF??? As Aryn so politely put it...this combination of flavours just shouldn't go together...but my god, they certainly do.

I think the only veggie of the night was the King Pea tips, done in garlic....but really who needs anything else after you have tasted these! Tender, bright green with some mellow garlic....my mouth is watering. Paired nicely with a few different types of pot stickers and dumplings...each absolutely perfect.

We then had a couple orders of the squid, which were just amazing...WHY you ask...because they were pan fried with pork and bok choi...no breading, no coating..just beautiful tender squid with increadible flavours...watch out because they have the tentacle squiddies in there....I love em (Aryns fave)...but some folks may not (wimps).

We ended up back tracking and ordering a second round of almost everything...and even the second time I found myself excitedly shoveling in the delicious morsels. We also ordered the fish noodle soup which was awesome...1 big bowl enough for all 5 of us....did we stop there....ummmm NO...we asked the server to bring us a surprise dish..and that he did. A staff and client fave..the crispy pork belly ...it was exactly that...crispy on the outside and tender on the inside..which ended the savory part of the meal most wonderfully!

We sweetened our palates with a variety of desserts...each of them were delish...the one that stands out of course was the deep fried banana with lime coconut sorbet....unique and pretty awesome.

The evening wrapped up so nicely as we strolled through the Chinese Night Market , located right outside the restaurant...which was just fabulous in and of itself! Every weekend evening until September...if you have never been, you should check it out for fun. In fact..try Bao-Bei one weekend, then another weekend come back on an empty belly and try out some of the street vendors...each one looked amazing...as people walked by with noodles and fresh chips, pot stickers, fried chicken.....I will be taking Ivan there on a date night soon! I suggest you do the same with your sweetie...or maybe meet one there...and

Enjoy!