I do love a bit of dim sum; steamed, fried or baked those little parcels of yumminess always go down a treat. In London, the best I’ve had would be at Hutong and Duddell’s. The only problem there is they’re a little pricey.
BaoziInn in Soho offers all dim sum for just £3.80 at lunch and I have to say, it’s got to be the best I’ve had. The brightly coloured dough for each is made using natural ingredients, like spinach juice for the barbecue pork baozi.
Ruby prawn dumplings use beetroot juice to give me them a purple hue – it doesn’t impart any favour but it does make them look rather pretty. Prawn and chive dumplings, coloured with spinach juice, are jam packed with bouncy, sweet shrimp.
‘Chang Fen’, Chengdu style with dried shrimp, sees ribbons of thick rice noodles, all sticky and squidgy, sitting in a sweet sauce filled with spring onions for freshness. I want to dive into a swimming pool of the stuff and eat my way out.
On a separate visit (where we dine as guests of the restaurant) we fall in love with their take on prawn toast. It’s like a crispy doughnut with a burger patty of prawn spiced with sichuan and cumin. SO good. Prawn spring rolls are more traditional but just as lush.
Dan dan noodles are something of a signature dish and a must order I’d say. The homemade noodles sit in a fiery chilli oil with masses of minced pork. They’re so good we order another portion.
The best thing about lunch at BaoziInn is the price – at lunch you could eat handsomely and wash it down with a jasmine tea all for about a tenner. For dim sum of that quality you can’t beat it.
Would we go back? Yes