TASTE THIS: THE BABY BEAR BAO AT T&T SUPERMARKET
Not only was it my third cub sighting of the day*, but this symbol of good luck and happiness was sweetly smiling at me from a sign advertising its namesake as a “Taiwanese Night Market Favorite.”
The bears and those four words strung together were auspicious enough; this bao had just asserted itself as the kick off item for EAT99’s new series, “Taste This”: the deliciousness of the highway featured one bite at a time.
But the Baby Bear Bao ($5.99) now dominates the rest: “a half-moon bun stuffed with braised pork belly, pickled marinated greens, crushed peanuts, and cilantro, bursting with flavor at every bite.”
They are being modest about the bursting flavor.
If we think of this as a ‘bao taco’, the 'tortilla' bun is the light, fluffy, somewhat sweet vehicle used to deliver the melty pork belly–thick layers of alternating fat and lean meat rendered down to create a velvety richness. The pork, accompanied by tangy mustard greens, a slightly sweet-crunchy peanut 'salsa', and cilantro, creates a contrast that fires on every level.
Leaving the parking lot and looking across the highway, I couldn’t help but wonder how many people buying the Chick-fil-A classic sandwich were unaware that, for a similar price, they could be eating something as divine as this.
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