BAOTI – FOR BUN LOVERS
by Alexandra Osváth
Looking for a unique brunch option?
As much as we love a good eggs benedict, it’s also fun to branch out and try something new. When BAOTI – For Bun Lovers invited us back to taste their new brunch offering, we just had to try it – and we weren’t disappointed!
WHAT’S A BAO?
Take a big bite into a steamed bun filled with slow-cooked meat or veggies. Traditionally from northern China, baos are becoming more and more popular across the world – and BAOTI’s chef Tengyifang is an expert. Beyond vegan, vegetarian or meat baos, BAOTI – For Bun Lovers also specialises in jaozi, matcha-flavoured desserts, sweet mochis, and more.
OUR BRUNCH EXPERIENCE
We sit outside on their leafy terrace, sipping delicious bubble tea and fresh lemonade while we wait for our brunch to arrive. The interior of the restaurant is also worth checking out – we love the intricate designs on the windows, ultra-modern hanging wood sculptures and sleek furniture.
Our brunch arrives in pretty, round bamboo boxes, and it’s hard to decide where to start! My husband has the traditional brunch and mine is adapted to my food allergies (no onion or garlic… it’s not the same, I know…), which I really appreciate.
For the traditional brunch, my husband first tastes a slow-cooked pork guabao sandwich on homemade bread, which is fabulous. It has a slice of avocado, coriander leaves, and spring onion all drizzled with a homemade white sauce with lemon juice, mustard and chives. His box also has a meat bao, a selection of jaozi dumplings and a salad with lotus root, kohlrabi and diced red and yellow peppers.
For my adapted brunch, I have a delicious zongzi, a dish from northern China that’s traditionally served during the Dragon Boat Festival in June. It’s been cooking at low heat for the past 11 hours! I unwrap a folded banana leaf to find sticky rice stuffed with pork – so, so good. I also get to taste the guabao sandwich (mine is without onions of course), which I also love.
For dessert, we’re served angel food cake with a side of red azuki bean paste, a chocolate hazelnut bao, and chilled strawberry soup with a dash of mint. To be honest I’m not a huge fan of red bean paste, so I actually drizzle some strawberry soup on my angel food cake, which is closer to how we eat it in the US. If I may, I really recommend trying that!
OUR VERDICT
It was really fun trying a different type of brunch than our usual, and we loved the new flavours. The terrace is wider than many in Geneva and although it’s near the street, the leafy raised garden beds and wide parasols create a little oasis in the heart of the city. The servers were friendly and efficient, too.
It’s a great brunch option close to Gare Cornavin, where good finds are hard to come by! We’ll be back.
WHERE
BAOTI – For Bun Lovers
Rue Terreaux-du-Temple 14
1201 Geneva
Tel: +41 788630435
Email : info@baoti.ch
Brunch is served on Saturdays.
Opening times: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11:30 am – 9 pm
You can also find them at les Halles de l’Île on the Rhône river!
MORE INFO
NOTE: This is a sponsored post. The views in the article are our honest views – we only write about products or companies we like. Huge thanks to BAOTI – For Bun Lovers for inviting us!
