SLC’s Xiao Bao Bao opens a second bun store, with enjoyable variations

Hello, Eaters! It’s Kolbie! After three months of maternity go away, I’m baaaaack, and your woman is able to begin writing about Salt Lake City’s eating scene once more. Let’s get to it!

Xiao Bao Bao — which makes a speciality of steamed Chinese buns referred to as bao — has opened a second location within the Milk Block at 416 E. 900 South. (The entrance is on the east facet of the central constructing; search for crimson lanterns.) I went and checked it out final week, and located there are some enjoyable variations between this new spot and the unique, at 216 E. 500 South.

The origin story: Xiao Bao Bao was founded in 2023 by Salt Lake City pastry and chocolate queen Romina Rasmussen and twin brothers Dwight and Derrick Yee. The trio began the bao store impressed by Rasmussen’s years of residing in Asia, and the Yees’ childhoods spent consuming bao with their household.

The vibe: The new location is larger and far cozier than the unique, the place the tall seating is supposed for folks having a fast lunch in the course of the workday. At the Milk Block, the seating is made up of regular tables and chairs, meant to be lingered in. Rasmussen advised me they selected the tables as a result of they have been the proper measurement for a full-sized mahjong set. (The homeowners hope to start out a mahjong evening.) Make certain to take a look at the photographs hanging on the partitions, all taken by Rasmussen and the Yees in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The menu: Bao with varied fillings (my fave is the charsiu), boiled dumplings (referred to as “jiaozi”), carrot salad, cucumber salad, edamame, wonton soup, Hong Kong milk tea and a few sweets. New gadgets at this location solely are a fried rooster sandwich (learn extra in “Dish of the Week”) and gluten-free rice bowls, with flavors together with rooster curry and eggplant tofu — the January particular is a rice bowl with marinated tofu. Rasmussen stated they’ve plans so as to add a Saturday-only merchandise referred to as youtiao, which is an extended, skinny Chinese doughnut.

The hours: The new location of Xiao Bao Bao is open Tuesday by way of Thursday, 3 to eight p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to eight p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. Rasmussen stated they plan to quickly change their hours to 11 a.m. to eight p.m., Tuesday by way of Saturday.

Live deliciously,

Kolbie

Food News

• Corinne Zinn has offered her cheese-making enterprise, Park City Creamery, to Ballerina Farm and has plans to retire, reported the Park Record. I interviewed Zinn for National Cheese Lover’s Day a yr in the past, and we chatted about her award-winning cheeses, like the beautiful brie-style Treasure. According to the Park Record, Ballerina Farm will produce cheese utilizing Zinn’s recipes, however underneath its model and made with milk from its personal cows, whereas additionally exploring new merchandise.

Openings:

• Old Cuss Cafe opened its new brick-and-mortar location final week at 325 Pierpont Ave. in Salt Lake City, in response to an Instagram post. Old Cuss Cafe makes a speciality of vegetarian consolation meals and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; all of its dishes will be served vegan, and most can be found gluten-free.

• Pinkbox Doughnuts was scheduled to carry a grand-opening celebration on Saturday for its first location in northern Utah, at 610 W. Main St. in American Fork, a information launch stated. Based in Las Vegas, Pinkbox is understood for its from-scratch doughnuts, which vary from traditional to excessive. The occasion, which will likely be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., was anticipated to incorporate doughnut-eating contests and giveaways free of charge doughnuts, the discharge stated.

• Penny Ann’s Cafe simply opened its fifth location, at 7495 S. Union Park Ave. in Sandy, in response to a information launch. Penny Ann’s is understood for its bitter cream pancakes and different consolation meals.

• Flower Child, the health-conscious fast-casual restaurant chain, has opened a brand new location in Riverton, at 4422 W. Tree Sparrow Drive in Mountain View Village, in response to a information launch. Sean P. Means, my editor, loved Flower Child’s “forbidden” rice with grilled tofu when he dined there in 2024.

• The Hirsch, a brand new “modern alpine” restaurant that replaces the previous Goldener Hirsch Restaurant within the Goldener Hirsch resort in Deer Valley, opened in December, in response to a information launch. The Hirsch’s government chef, Jeff O’Neill, places his personal spin on alpine delicacies, creating dishes like dill-cured salmon with root vegetable beignets.

Booze (and Drink!) News

•Kiitos Brewing (in Sugar House and the Granary District) has created a brand new beer made with ube (a purple yam from the Philippines) and fonio, an historical grain native to West Africa, in response to an Instagram post. Ube has flavors of coconut, vanilla and pistachio, the put up stated, whereas fonio has notes of lychee and keenness fruit. Sounds delish! (Note: This beer is not gluten-free, in contrast to the common fonio beer, which is gluten-free, in response to an worker.)

Dish of the Week

When I visited Xiao Bao Bao, I ordered Popo’s Fried Chicken Sandwich ($10.50) with a facet of tater tots. Rasmussen advised me that they added a fryer to the brand new location’s kitchen, which is why they’re capable of make fried gadgets like these. The phrase “popo” means “grandmother” in Chinese, so named for the Yees’ grandmother.

This is a scrumptious new tackle the standard fried rooster sandwich. Xiao Bao Bao takes natural, free-range rooster, marinates it, batters it and fries it, then places it on a steamed chive & garlic bun and completes the sandwich with marinated cucumbers and wealthy Kewpie mayo from Japan.

Biting into this sandwich is a deal with — the batter on the rooster is so crispy. And the freshness of the cucumbers actually pairs properly with the juicy rooster and the umami taste within the mayo. The tots have been nice when dipped into Xiao Bao Bao’s sesame fry sauce. Next time, I’ll additionally order a carrot salad, for much more freshness to stability out all of the fried flavors.