I came. I saw. I bao'd.
The legendary Chairman Bao from the Bay Area: One food truck that I couldn't pass up before leaving.
Thanks to food events such as Off the Grid, the concept of food trucks have been vastly transformed. No longer are they just shady-looking trucks parked near street corners, selling stale sandwiches and frozen burritos that signs you up to a night-long appointment with the toilet seat and a bottle of that pink stuff.
Instead, the innovative people running those trucks have pushed the limits of what was into something much more... gourmet. Where else can you get duck confit tacos or perhaps Korean BBQ burritos? Normally, one would look to those up-scale fusion restaurants usually tucked away somewhere downtown, but here in San Francisco, they're made more accessible to the general populace-- via food trucks.
I didn't have the time to explore all the food trucks, as I had to leave for PA in a matter of days. So, I decided to pay the venerable and ever-popular Chairman Bao a visit with a group of friends as part of a celebration of a close friend of mine's 20th birthday.
The truck was serving by Castro and Market St. this particular day. It's not much of a walk from Castro Station (accesible by the Muni Metro lines J, K, L, and M), as you simply make a right and cross the street upon exiting the station. It's quite hard to miss, with the red of the truck calls out, breaking through the monotony. Luckily, there wasn't much of a line as we arrived shortly after the truck started operating, beating the usual rush.
Stepping up to the truck, I was greeted with a rather simple menu that listed a variety of Asian-fusion sandwich fillings, as well as your choice of a baked or steamed bun (bao). After a small debate, my friend and I decided to share a tender pork belly baked bun (as pictured above).
The baked was a few dollars more, but definitely worth your money in taste. So soft and cottony, the bun was glazed thickly with honey, adding a heavenly balance to the savory pork filling. The braised pork belly itself melted right in my mouth, so perfectly seasoned. Pickled slices of crunchy daikon (with a hint of shisho or beefsteak leaves) helped to add a spark to the palate and cut through the fattiness of the pork belly. The only drawback was the process of eating it, as the contents of the bun tended to spill over as soon as you bite into it. Though, thankfully the truck was kind enough to provide forks and ample amount of napkins for their hungry patrons.
Extremely friendly service and carrying a menu that's only complex in the flavors they offer but not in navigating, I'd definitely reccomend this truck to anyone who is hungry for something new, yet carries a hint of the familiar taste of traditional Chinese homecooking. Tracking it down takes a bit of a task, as you have to either follow them on their Twitter or Facebook fan page to check their weekly schedule and locations. For more photos and reviews of Chairman Bao, you can also visit their page on Yelp.
The legendary Chairman Bao from the Bay Area: One food truck that I couldn't pass up before leaving.
Thanks to food events such as Off the Grid, the concept of food trucks have been vastly transformed. No longer are they just shady-looking trucks parked near street corners, selling stale sandwiches and frozen burritos that signs you up to a night-long appointment with the toilet seat and a bottle of that pink stuff.
Instead, the innovative people running those trucks have pushed the limits of what was into something much more... gourmet. Where else can you get duck confit tacos or perhaps Korean BBQ burritos? Normally, one would look to those up-scale fusion restaurants usually tucked away somewhere downtown, but here in San Francisco, they're made more accessible to the general populace-- via food trucks.
I didn't have the time to explore all the food trucks, as I had to leave for PA in a matter of days. So, I decided to pay the venerable and ever-popular Chairman Bao a visit with a group of friends as part of a celebration of a close friend of mine's 20th birthday.
The truck was serving by Castro and Market St. this particular day. It's not much of a walk from Castro Station (accesible by the Muni Metro lines J, K, L, and M), as you simply make a right and cross the street upon exiting the station. It's quite hard to miss, with the red of the truck calls out, breaking through the monotony. Luckily, there wasn't much of a line as we arrived shortly after the truck started operating, beating the usual rush.
Stepping up to the truck, I was greeted with a rather simple menu that listed a variety of Asian-fusion sandwich fillings, as well as your choice of a baked or steamed bun (bao). After a small debate, my friend and I decided to share a tender pork belly baked bun (as pictured above).
The baked was a few dollars more, but definitely worth your money in taste. So soft and cottony, the bun was glazed thickly with honey, adding a heavenly balance to the savory pork filling. The braised pork belly itself melted right in my mouth, so perfectly seasoned. Pickled slices of crunchy daikon (with a hint of shisho or beefsteak leaves) helped to add a spark to the palate and cut through the fattiness of the pork belly. The only drawback was the process of eating it, as the contents of the bun tended to spill over as soon as you bite into it. Though, thankfully the truck was kind enough to provide forks and ample amount of napkins for their hungry patrons.
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OMGOSH I REVIEWED CHAIRMAN BAO TOO BUT MINE ISN'T AS WELL WRITTEN AS YOURS. I HATE YOU, FORMER LIT MAJOR. WHY CAN'T WE ALL WRITE LIKE YOU DO.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I'm looking forward to your food reviews :)))