Bao bun twist

With gluten free hot on the agenda, we’re seeing more street food vendors catering to demand. Le Bao Truck has picked up on the need for an alternative to bread bun burgers and offers baos with a twist every Saturday at Broadway Market & Druid Street Market. These steamed buns are gluten-free versions, made with rice flour. At markets and pop-up venues across the country, Le Bao Truck allows you to grab tasty pork confit with pickled cucumber snuggled in a light bao bun. Their chicken with smoky aioli and kohlrabi slaw also meets the demand of consumers looking for ‘something special’ such as a signature sauce, quirky slaw or innovative salad.

Bao bun fillings tap into the trend for added spice – 37% of consumers like bolder flavours now more than they did 2-3 years ago [Source: Age Cohort report 2015]. We know that street food is increasing consumers’ interest in flavours and spices, and there are plenty of bao bun options to get your taste buds around. Yum Bun at Street Feast Dalston offers slow-roast pork, cucumber, and spring onion with hoi-sin. Or if you’re looking to dine in, why not try Flesh & Buns in Covent Garden for inspiration – ingredients include wagyu steak and crispy pork belly.

Bao buns are also fast and convenient, meeting the needs of younger generations – an opportunity for workplace and university caterers to close the gap with grab and go outlets.

 But where to next? Well, Bao – which moved from street food stall to a permanent site – offers a dessert choice comprising a Horlicks flavoured fried bao. Take it with a glug of peanut milk for a real taste of the classic evening bedtime drink – a soothing dessert after a spicy main!