Bao Dao Taiwanese Kitchen

Bao Dao is doing its best to spread Taiwanese food all over the city.

Starting as a market stall in 2008, the small restaurant chain has since expanded to Eastwood, Chatswood (where the market stall started) and the CBD. The new site brings the same traditional Taiwanese flavours.

Taiwanese cuisine is influenced by China and Japan and the dishes here reflect that. Come for soft bao buns stuffed with preserved vegetables and sticky pork belly; small hunks of thinly battered fried chicken; crisp tofu cubes with silken centres; or mini rice bowls topped with fatty pork mince and sour greens.

The most popular item here is probably the biggest and heartiest dish, Chiang’s traditional beef noodle soup. It uses premium quality beef intercostal bones (the cut in-between the ribs).

Like Chiang’s other restaurants, the vibe is similar to what you’d find in other inexpensive Haymarket favourites – it’s bustling, casual and fast. The high turnover is the only thing preventing a queue from forming during peak meal times.