Hey everyone it’s been a while since I did a food review of a local spot so I wanted to share with you my thoughts of this place that I’ve been meaning to try for some time now. Of course, this is just a review on the vegetarian options and currently as I write this blog post the vegetarian options are limited so this will be a short review. Nonetheless, I hope it does help so read below for photos, info and my thoughts! Before you do make sure you follow the blog, especially on social media (Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook) for more veg food content! Also, see below for a quick teaser of what you can expect below & how it was during their grand opening of their dine in location!
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Info + Location
It’s so hard to find bao bun sandwiches in Scarborough, as most are in downtown Toronto but thankfully I saw this place via Instagram located in the east end so it was only a matter of time until I tried it! Bao Mama is a Filipino-Asian cuisine that initially originated in Oshawa but currently operates in “Crave Food Hub”, a ghost kitchen. When you go you will see them and another popular food spot operating there with no dine-in options, as you need to wait outside for a text from them to let you know when your order is ready. It was also busy hence why I didn’t record any photos or videos of the storefront or inside. Update (05/21/2022)- I just went to their new location where you can dine in that had a great atmosphere. It is now open at Brimley and Sheppard (4419 Sheppard Ave E). Keep in mind parking is a little tight, so you might want to park in the bigger plaza across and walk it.
Price
So they have 3 vegetarian options (we will get to the details in the next section) and they are priced at $5 each which is a great deal in my opinion. The last place I used to get bao bun sandwiches from downtown Toronto also sold them for $5 but I feel you get a bit more with these. However, something i want to advise is that when I asked them about the vegetarian options I told them I ordered oned of each so instead of charging me $5 each, they charged me for a “vegetarian try pack”. The try pack (all 3) is actually cheaper since after tax it came up to $14.69! Update (05/21/2022) when I went to their new location I noticed the prices were now $5.50 each (which is still a great price)
Update (05/21/2022) I went ahead and got the try pack again with my friend since it was still $15 but I also tried their sinigang fries. The fries were nice, super flavourful and well seasoned that goes well with the dip. The best way to describe the fries is that it reminds me of Ruffles all dressed.
Taste
Now, for the most important section. How did it taste? In short, I enjoyed it. However, I do want to state that I enjoyed some flavours more than others even if there were only few differences between each other. I also want to state that I am not 100% if the photos matches the correct title of the options so I will update it if need be. The 3 options were “Yang Yum”, “Me-So-Veg”, and “Plant Room”. I enjoyed the “Yang Yum” which is the tofu and eggplant combo as there is a little kick of spice at first which disappears the moment you eat into the bao bun, which in my opinion is a great set up. I appreciated the crispiness of the breading, especially the eggplant. The “Me-So-Veg” which is the combination of tofu and mushroom was really good as well since the tofu cooked nicely and had a good overall texture that complimented each other with the bun and mushroom coleslaw (a bit tangy, but not overpowering). My least favourite was probably the “Plant Room” which wasn’t bad at all but probably my least favourite as it reminded me of a veggie bahn mi bun where the fresh veggies overshadow the rest of the bun/sandwich as there is not enough sauce. Once again, I think it is decent just but not my favourite currently compared to the other two.
Overall
All in all, I can see myself going back to Bao Mama again! The price is great, especially because it does taste great, plus you get to support a small family business! I would love if they can introduce more veggie options and maybe even a unique sauce that adds to the plant room (I believe that is the correct one). I think the service was decent, nothing extraordinary because it is operating under a ghost kitchen but I am curious to see where Bao Mama will be in a few years. These are my thoughts but let me know your thoughts below if you have tried them and please feel free to support by following on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok!