Bao 111
New York, NY 10009
Phone: (212) 254-7773
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Between 7th Street and 8th Street
- Directions:
- F at 2nd Ave; 6 at Astor Place
- Best of Citysearch:
- Vietnamese Food 2005, Vietnamese Food 2004
- Hours:
- Mon-Sat 6pm-2am, Sun 6pm-12am
Editorial Review for Bao 111 – by Allison Austin
The Scene
The room glows a flattering amber; wood banquettes, softened by a scattering of cushy, embroidered pillows, run the length of the room. The space is sultry without being overtly romantic, due in part to edgy touches like art deco-style steel fans and an incredibly long wrought-iron mirror. The neighborhood's mixed populace is represented nightly--you'll see heels, denim and a fair share of tattoos.
The Food
Starters are quite good, including tender short ribs, wrapped around stalks of lemongrass; aromatic five-spice quail; and spring rolls, brought to the table with lettuce and mint leaf wrappers. Soups, perhaps the benchmark of Vietnamese cooking, are excellent, especially the crab and shrimp soup with noodles. Entrees continue the hot streak: Whether it's the fish of the day, the iron-pot chicken or the excellent filet mignon, it's difficult to go wrong. Interesting desserts feature unusual ingredients, such as black sesame and pandan.
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkSeveral house-infused hot sakes are offered--expect to see flavors like strawbery, kiwi and spring melon. Also available: a very good selection of by-the-glass cold sakes and unusual Vietnamese beers, including Beer 33 and Tiger.
Know Before You GoThe restaurant is perfect for groups of six or eight, and there's a semi-private table near the kitchen that can seat smallish groups wishing for more privacy.
User Reviews for Bao 111
04/13/2008 Posted by ahndh
I went when they first opened since my best friend knows the owner. My best friend's Dad is the sake distributor of this restaurant. It was excellent first. But when we went again months later, i made reservations weeks before. They still made us wait nearly an hour for our table! Unacceptable! Also, the food second time around was not as good. I guess the quality lowers down a little over time like most restaurants. Also, the service was totally slow & the food tool a long time to come. I wouldn't go back there again after they made us wait forever for our table after making reservations!
Pros: trendy place
Cons: doesn't matter if you have reservations, they'll make you wait forever!
10/12/2007 Posted by robomanic23
My night at Bao overall was average. The wine list was excellent. The bartender and waitor were very professional but the hostess was sort of goofy and not professional. Everyone was terribly nice though and the restaurant, although beautiful, is very relaxing and has a casual atmosphere. The patrons also seemed very relaxed and non-pretentious and on a Friday night at 9pm, there really weren't that many. I wasn't terribly impressed with the food though I think if I had what was recommended, I would have been. I did have the duck entree (rec. by our waitor) which was excellent-- and I know, because I don't usually like duck. I shared the summer roll and crab noodle soup appetizer which was very lacking in taste and texture. I think Saigon Grill on the Upper West Side is a much better bet for Vietnamese. Overall the service and atmosphere was very good and the proximity of bars and lounges is very convenient. I liked that there was the option of dining at a table outside in front of the restaurant.
Pros: Nice staff, great wine list, good recommended dishes
Cons: Not every dish is worth tasting, unprofessional hostess
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