Take a Bao
In the heart of Studio City on Ventura Blvd., Take a Bao brings a fun twist to the traditional sandwich by fusing it with everything that makes dim sum delectable. With a weekend errand to the San Fernando Valley as my excuse, a decision to stop for lunch at their Studio City location was made (their other restaurant is in the Century City Westfield Mall). Chef Gavin Portsmouth combines American style, French techniques, and Asian cuisine in the form of the restaurant's delicious namesake baos, which are composed with traditional steamed buns made in the San Gabriel Valley. The buns, which are rolled flat to become the wonderfully chewy bread-substitute for these Asian-inspired sandwiches, are filled with a wide range of ingredients, from classic fried chicken with slaw or chipotle cheeseburger, to more conventional items like grilled pork bánh mì, Peking duck, and Thai peanut chicken. With additional small bites, salads, noodle dishes, and desserts (how can you say "no" to a chocolate s'more bao?) and an excellent selection of beer and cocktails, Take a Bao's menu is a perfect spin on a good old beer and burger joint, and I love savoring a new array of flavors and baos with each meal I enjoy!
Dress: Target (old)
Glasses: Bonlook Keiko frames in Tessa Tort
Lips: Lime Crime Velvetines in Red Velvet
Napa Sesame Salad
Grilled Pork Banh Mi - grilled pork loin, pate, housemade pickled vegetables, diced chilies, cilantro, and garlic aioli.
Original Hoisin Pork with braised & pulled pork, pickled red onion, and cucumbers, and "Peking Duck" with maple leaf farms duck leg, plum hoisin sauce, scallions, and five-spice wonton chip.
