So may I ask, what does the term “non-Cantonese Chinese” mean? I’ve seen this description before, but it confuses me. But at Westside prices, running around $6.75 for a typical order, or double what you’d pay if you headed east. Some nice chicken options you won’t generally find at dim sum restaurants, with Chinatown quality dim sum but some items with a more modern flair than you’d find in Chinatown.

My previous assessment of Bao on the predecessor board (same title as above without the “Still”) is pretty much the same. Given the proximity of Bao to the recently opened Tasty Noodle House and Northern Cafe branches I’m guessing there’s now a bit of a non-Cantonese Chinese demographic presence in the area, and that’s the crowd they’re attracting now. The crispy milk bun was OK, and the spicy chicken dumpling was quite good. The crispy baked bbq pork bun is probably my very favorite food item in the world and this one was disappointing because it was just the regular soft bbq pork bun with a little bit of a “snowy” bun top. Many of the old dishes were still there, so I zeroed in on three new items–the crispy baked bbq pork bun (they also have the regular baked bbq pork bun still on the menu, so Bao is the first restaurant where I’ve seen both on the menu), the crispy milk bun, and the spicy chicken dumpling. The Asian hostess who had bragged that their chef came from the “San Gab-ri-elle Valley” was gone, but the interior looked the same except for one thing–most of the diners were now Chinese. Since it’s been seven years since I’ve been to Bao on Beverly Blvd., and a peek at their menu shows some modern items had been added to their menu, I decided to finally stop by for a return visit.

Bao beverly blvd