Mr Bao, CBD Sydney (13 Mar 2017)

Shop 3, 56-58 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.mrbaobuns.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/MR.BAO.STEAMEDBUNS
https://www.instagram.com/mrbaobuns/
https://twitter.com/mrbaobuns

Bao A game strong

These guys having been bringing their bao A game for a while now in Sydney with lunch time punters still going strong. The menu special of any two gua bau with fries for $15 catches my eye. I choose the Crackling Pork Belly, signature hoisin sauce, lightly pickled cucumber & coriander and the Karaage Chicken with spicy aioli, pickled red cabbage & coriander. Usually I'd think bao are pretty small but these pillow soft bad boys are generously filled to make a satisfying lunch eat along with the pimped up crispy Sweet potato fries  with spicy aioli with some serious flavour impact. Loving the crunchy slab of pork crackling and the fairly juicy karaage chicken. I would have loved the cucumber and red cabbage pickling to a bit more heavy handed for that added extra zing. There's some seating available and kitchen turnaround service was pretty quick.

Mr Pham Vietnamese Restaurant, Matraville (21 Aug 2016)

161 Perry Street, Matraville NSW 2036
https://www.facebook.com/mrphammatraville/

Classic Vietnamese Eats

I've been a few times to this local gem which has become a bit of a family favourite for reasonably priced Vietnamese. We usually sit out the back in the dining area but this time I tried the take away. The Roast Crackling Pork Roll ($7.50) was quite nice. Always good to get a bit of crackling in the mix. The roll was on the softer side rather than having a crisp crust. I've had the Chicken Noodle Soup ($12) before which has always been very generous in size. As a takeaway it's still good value which you could quite easily share with maybe a banh mi or fresh rolls as your entree or just keep as a feast for a solo eat. For lovers of crackling you can get a bag of Pork Crackling ($5). makes for a yummy snack. Was super crunchy and fairly tasty. Service has always been friendly. The dining area out the back is much nicer in look and feel than the front counter section which probably could do with a little bit of a renovation to make it look a bit more presentable to match.

Mr Crackles: Pork Crackling, Rolls and Fries, Darlinghurst (1 Feb 2013)

155 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

http://www.mrcrackles.com.au

Best side of crackling in Sydney?

With the promise of good pork crackling it's a no brainer to visit. Thankfully Chefs Sam and Carlos do a fine job at it. The Salted Crackling ($5) seems reasonably priced for the excellent crunch factor. Four decent-sized shards are easy to share as a side although crackling lovers will probably want to keep it all to themselves. The Crispy Pork Belly with Vietnamese Salad ($10 large) comes in a nice roll with good crackling and tender pork. The combination with salad and mayo makes for an enjoyable meal although I wish the carrot was also pickled like you get in a traditional banh mi with some pickled daikon in the mix too. Seems reasonably priced for the quality considering it's real pork and not the traditional Vietnamese processed pork. French Fries with Rosemary Salt ($4.50) are crisp and tasty as hoped. During my visit they weren't too busy so the test will be how they work under the pump with lots of orders at the same time. Being professional chefs I'm sure they be able to cope and still remain cool, calm and collected as they appeared. There's unfortunately very limited seating against one of the walls so it's more a takeaway shop than for dining in. I'm keen to try their Chilli Cheese Fries, Crackles Chicken Roll and Hot Dog next time.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Excellent pork crackling, Reasonably priced for the quality, Service was friendly and down-to-earth

CONS: Very limited seating so more suited for take away, No parks nearby to sit except for the uncovered Taylor Square corner

MUST TRY: Pork Crackling, Crispy Pork Belly with Vietnamese Salad, Returning to try more of the menu
VERDICT: For a seriously good pork crackling hit on the run I haven't found a better place. Limited but tempting menu which favours the meat lovers.

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Salted Crackling ($5) — excellent crunch, fair price, nice portion to share between two as a side
SIMON FAVOURITE :-) 

Crispy Pork Belly with Vietnamese Salad ($10 large) — nice roll, good crackling and tender pork, nice salad and mayo
WORTH TRYING :-)

French Fries with Rosemary Salt ($4.50) — crisp and tasty
WORTH TRYING :-)

Bill $19.50 for two sharing

Chefs Sam and Carlos dedicated to making good crackling

Was hoping to try the Tiramisu but had run out :-(

Glorious pork crackling awaits

Only a few seats on the right to sit next to wall bench. Hopefully more bench space can be added to the other wall and a couple of cocktail tables in the middle to help rest your side of crackling, fries and drink while you eat your roll?

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