From char siu to sweet custard, this Chennai bao festival goes all in

“It is a truth universally acknowledged…” that committing entirely to one idea requires conviction. At Mr. Ong, The Art of Bao leans into the bao, with no diversions or safety nets, and the kitchen justifies that confidence. Arrive hungry, and preferably with company; this is food designed for the table, not the solo diner.

This Chennai bao festival proves one great idea is enough

We started with the Char siu bao. The open pinched bao holds a sweet pork filling, and if you grew up on hardcore Madrasi flavours this sweetness reads unusual at first. But stay with it. Hidden somewhere in there is a lone roasted coriander kernel, and the moment you bite into it, it gives the whole thing a warm, aromatic oomph that reframes the sweetness entirely. There is no BBQ sauce in the way you’d expect from the name. It is gentler and more interesting than its description suggests.

The Miso mushroom bao followed, and it is the quiet achiever of the table. Button, king oyster, shiitake, shimeji and black fungus all share the space, and none of them go rubbery, which in a mushroom heavy dish is genuinely half the battle. A slight sweetness runs under the earthiness and the miso umami fills everything in between.

Then the soft-shell crab bao arrived, and honesty needs to be acknowledged: it is oily. A quick pat before assembly or a minute on the rack would do this dish a considerable favour. But move past that and there is a generous portion of crab underneath, intensely crispy despite everything, sitting on brine pickled onions whose acidity cuts through all that richness. The house dressing and chives finish it well.

The Crispy tofu bao is a palate reset you need to check out. So light in contrast to everything that came before it. Not a drop of oil, shatteringly crispy, sitting on a lettuce bed with pickled onion on top. It is the most effortless bao on the menu and possibly the most likeable.

We ended on the Sweet custard bao, creamy egg custard inside a pillowy close, and it is exactly what dessert should be after a table full of bold flavours.

Meal for two: Rs 1,800++. On till May 24. From 7 pm to 11 pm. At Mr. Ong – The Flavours of Singapore, Park Hyatt, Guindy.
Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya

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