Forth of July at Fat Bao (Kirby Location)

I hope all of my American readers had an enjoyable holiday weekend! We celebrated our first 4th of July in Houston. Instead of enduring the heat and fighting the crowds to watch some fireworks, we decided to take the non traditional route and indulge in some Chinese/Vietnamese grub.

I had heard of bao (aka delicious and dainty steamed buns made with flour, sugar, milk, and a whole lotta love) but never actually had the pleasure of eating this cuisine. The menu offers a variety of fillings from tofu to pork belly as well as salads, desserts, and sides. The prices are semi-steep considering the amount of food you receive but then again you are paying for a unique dish.

To view their menu, click HERE

Since it was a national holiday they had shorter store hours, we unknowingly walked in 20 min. till close but the place was fairly packed so it's not like we were intruding. We could clearly see the disappointment (and dare I say disgust) as we approached the register which didn't make for a pleasant first impression. I understand the excitement of the approaching closing hour but this was uncalled for. We decided to go through with our order and chose the fried curried cauliflower for an appetizer.

The food came up fairly quickly, and you could tell it was freshly fried. The flavor was just okay, for $5 I was had higher expectations, maybe more cauliflower or a dipping sauce of some kind? Overall I would not recommend getting this app.

Lewis ordered the Bulgogi which included marinated beef ribeye, kimchi, and green onions. It was very good - the meat packed a flavorful punch and the other fillings complimented it well without outshining the ribeye.

I have only had one experience with fried soft shell crab in Charleston, SC and it was, what I like to call a UFO (Unidentified fried object) so I had to give it another shot. It was pretty good, I like that it was more tempura style rather than a super thick batter. The slaw was a nice addition and provided a cool, crunchy texture against the hot crispy crab.

The Verdict

While the staff wasn't the friendliest, the food was tasty and offered a unique global experience. Be prepared to shell out some money though if you want to feel satisfied, we spent around $20 (no drinks) and left feeling pretty hungry.