Chef Cheyne Morrisby, he of the very successful Cheyne’s in Hout Bay, has opened up an 8 seater street food bar right next door to Cheyne’s called Lucky Bao.
But what is a “bao”? Well it’s a traditional Chinese steamed, filled bun, and when done right they are absolutely delicious.
Over and above bao, Lucky Bao also serves Yakatori (or Japanese skewers) and other Asian street food. Being an 8 seater, the space is of course very intimate. The night my friend, D, and I went it was storming outside, so it only ended up being the two of us. But I did like the casual vibe of the place and the fact that it’s all open plan so you can watch your dishes being prepared.
Also… it’s very pretty with the neon bar lighting…
As I mentioned above the menu covers a selection of bao, skewers and other street food items:
We decided to try all 4 baos as well as the beef & chicken Yakatori. From left to right below you have the Sea Bao (soft shell crab), the Bird Bao (roasted sticky duck), the F.U Bao (with tempura tofu) and the Belly Bao (grilled pork belly):
Just as a disclaimer – I don’t like tofu, but D convinced me to give it a bash, so I did. The result? I still don’t like tofu – but I really really really loved the other 3 baos… It’s hard for me to pick the ultimate winner, but I’d probably say it’s between the bird & the belly.
Both delicious – think super tender meat and sauces that’ll have you crying with happiness. That tom yum, peanut butter and coconut cream sauce in particular is something you’ll want to bathe in… we asked for spoons! haha… no shame…
On the drinks side they have a pretty good wine selection, or you can opt for a shake or pressed juice. Then for dessert you can simply order from the Cheyne’s menu from next door.
The service is speedy & friendly and if you’re able to fill all 8 spots (or at least most of them), I think the vibe will be similar to meeting your friends for a lekker dinner at someone’s house. (which I love)
For all these reasons, I’m going to give Lucky Bao a score of 
on my Miss K Kiss-o-Meter scale & I highly recommend that you check them out.
Lucky Bao is open:
- Monday to Wednesday 17:00 – 22:00
- Thursday to Saturday 12:00 – 15:00; 17:00 – 22:00
And get this – they’re currently running a special deal until the end of July where you can get 15% off your bill if you book for 8 guests. Even more reason to book now…
To do so, give them a call on 0790674919 or email cheynemorrisby@gmail.com. And then you’ll find them at:
Hout Bay, Cape Town
xxx