Taipei’s New Creative Gua Bao – Stuffed with Bouncy Beef Meatballs

Text and photos byPaperclip ‘Foodography Delight’

These days, flipping traditional concepts and adding a touch of culture and local flavor can create buzz — and of course, business opportunities follow. Few Taiwanese haven’t tried gua bao, this plump snack also nicknamed “tiger bites pig.” Whether as a full meal or a snack, it can satisfy a hungry Taiwanese stomach. But when the tiger doesn’t just bite pork, but also beef, chicken, and mushrooms? That’s even more intriguing.

The gua bao specialty shop “Bao Bao,” located near Taipei Metro’s National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station, features a high-ceilinged first floor. As you walk in, you’re greeted by a spacious counter and kitchen area on one side, while local produce from small farms is displayed on the other. A bit further inside is the dining area. Everything looks so fresh and modern — it’s hard to associate it with traditional Taiwanese gua bao. The shop offers four types of fillings: traditional pork, as well as beef, chicken, and king oyster mushrooms. There are also two types of wrappers: plain and brown sugar. This creates a total of eight flavor combinations. In addition to ordering single items, you can pair your gua bao with salad or mushroom soup for a set meal. Opt for both and you get the full works — a beautifully named “Bao Bao Harvest Meal.”

It was my first visit, so I started with a basic light set meal (NT$200, plus service charge), choosing a combination of salad and gua bao. The server was very attentive and friendly, kindly asking whether I preferred vinaigrette or yogurt dressing for the salad, and also whether I wanted onion or lettuce. The portion of salad wasn’t large, served in a medium-sized bowl, which was just right as an appetizer. The greens were fresh and varied, and most notably, there were white barley pearls inside. Though still a bit firm in texture, I treated them as treasures, picking each one out with chopsticks and finishing them all. Oh, and here they serve salad with chopsticks — Western food with Eastern utensils. It was actually much easier to eat with chopsticks.

Before I finished the salad, my black sugar beef gua bao arrived. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed... because the beef meatballs in front of me were much smaller than the “illustration” shown on the menu.

Did that picture make them look twice as big? I’m not asking for them to actually be double the size — that might get too filling anyway — but the difference was honestly quite surprising.

The gua bao itself was about the same size as the traditional ones you usually find at markets, easy for a woman to hold in one hand. According to the menu, these beef meatballs are from cattle raised on toxin-free carrots. Of course, I couldn’t actually tell what the cows had eaten, but I can say that the beef meatballs I had were juicy, sweet, and springy. Mixed with stir-fried onions, cold cucumber slices, and peanut powder, the savory-sweet flavors danced on my tongue — truly delicious. The brown sugar in the wrapper was subtle and not overpowering, coming across as very natural. The restaurant uses old dough for the wrappers, which regular gua bao fans might find a bit too tough and not to their taste.

Bao Bao also has another branch, near Nanjing Sanmin Station — in the alley across from Chinatrust Commercial Bank on Nanjing East Road. This location has a much more modest exterior.

The interior decor of the Nanjing branch matches that of the Guangfu branch, featuring lots of earthy tones. The Christmas decorations from last month hadn’t been taken down yet. There are a few seats for dine-in, but only two staff members were working.

This time, I ordered the salad set meal again, but went with the plain pork gua bao. The pork used was belly pork, pan-fried then braised, and finished with a quick torch before serving. It was also layered with stir-fried onions, cucumber strips, peanut powder, and cilantro.

However, this time the server didn’t ask whether I wanted Japanese citrus vinaigrette or yogurt dressing — she just gave me the Japanese sauce. I’m not sure if you can choose at the Nanjing branch? There’s no added service charge here, so the light set meal costs NT$200.

Takeaway gua bao comes in packaging that resembles MOS Burger’s, with stickers indicating the flavor. When you open it up, though, you’re still met with disappointment — the actual contents fall short compared to the menu photo showing char siu bursting out of the bun.

Because it’s takeaway, by the time you eat it, the wrapper has gone cold — not great for old dough wrappers, which become even tougher. Eating it fresh is definitely better. The pork had a smoother texture, with a good balance of fat and lean, really making you want to savor every bite.

A single gua bao is NT$90. At this price, compared to traditional Taiwanese gua bao — which cost about half as much — and if you’re eating to fill up rather than for refinement, this portion might not satisfy (spiritually speaking) most Taiwanese folks.

But take a step back. Similar combinations at Western fast-food burger joints offer about the same portion size, but those burgers can go for NT$80–90 or more. Is it that this shop’s prices are high, or that foreign moonlight is just brighter? Personally, paying NT$200/220 for a meal like this, excluding drinks, is a bit steep.

Bao Bao (Bunsbao)
http://www.bunsbao.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bunsbao
Guangfu Experience Store: No. 48, Lane 240, Guangfu S. Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City (Exit 2, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station)
02-27310370
11:00 – 21:00, Closed Mondays

Nanjing Quick Bite Store: No. 9, Lane 2, Alley 66, Section 5, Nanjing E. Rd., Songshan District, Taipei City (Exit 2, Nanjing Sanmin Station)
02-27567036
11:00 – 18:00, Closed Saturdays and Sundays

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