Bao Bei Awards

Bao Bei Restaurant Review:

The name Bao Bei, which means “precious, priceless or a treasure,” was a natural fit for Vancouver-born Tannis Ling's restaurant. It's also a term of endearment Chinese parents use for their babies. In fact, it’s what Ling grew up hearing her mother call her. Ling teamed up with chef Joel Watanabe (of Japanese and French-Canadian parents) to open this welcoming Chinese brasserie in the old part of Vancouver’s Chinatown. The abundant menu is inspired by the cooking of Ling’s mother and influenced by her research trips with Watanabe to Taiwan and Vietnam. Cocktails are both clever and tasty. To start, order a rum-based Cheung Po the Kid and some “Schnacks” (sharing plates) like crispy tofu or house-made Taiwanese sausage. Move on to tender king pea tips, translucent truffled pork dumplings, and the popular Shao Bing sesame flatbread stuffed with cumin lamb sirloin, pickled red onion and salted chilies. We also recommend the "kick ass" house-fried rice with marinated pork loin, clams, salted halibut, Chinese leeks, preserved cabbage and chili bamboo. Don't overlook the house-made ice cream, which could be avocado, coconut lime or Vietnamese coffee. A nicely curated wine list matches the diverse menu offerings. Filled with found treasures, Bao Bei has a feel of French country mixed with hints of family history, including Ling's father's youthful rock band. And don't let the line-up deter you --- it's worth the wait.