Belly Bao @ Good God Small Club, Sydney

EDIT: CLOSED, moved to Newtown!

Is it ironic that I was drawn to Belly Bao (53-55 Liverpool Street, Sydney), located in the depths of the Good God Small Club, not for their baos but for their bao-burger hybrid? It’s not that I don’t like baos, but my heart had been disappointed so many times in my search for a Wonderbao replacement in Sydney that I just couldn’t handle more heartache.

And then I saw the Baoger and it was love at first bite! You can get a single patty Baoger ($10) but hey life’s too short for regret so why not go for the double patty Baoger ($13). The buns are pillowy soft baos which takes this burger to another level though eat it fast as the bottom bao does get soggy. The patties are super juicy, like, crazy juicy! And of course there’s the melty slices of good ol american cheese, crisp lettuce leaves and thin slices of sweet onion and pickled radish to cut through the richness. The Baoger’s are only available on Thursday and the kitchen does get smashed so get there early!

But not to worry I did try their baos and they were pretty damn amazing! Our baos of choice were the Slow Braised Beef Short Rib ($6.50) with kimchi, spring onion and sesame mayo; Crackling Roast Pork Belly ($6.50) with shards of crackling, pickled radish, coriander and kewpie mayo and my fave: the unctuously tender Slow Braised Pork Belly ($6.50) with pickled mustard greens, coriander, crushed peanuts and kewpie mayo.

The Sweet Potato Fries ($7) has the perfect crispy edges to fluffy innards ratio, the chilli aioli is on the spicier end of my chilli tolerance spectrum but it’s just pretty darn addictive.

The Belly Bao Sticky Fried Chicken ($15/half) is finger licking delicious! The chicken is juicy and tender, the batter crispy and not too thick and the whole shebang doused in an irresistible honey soy sauce. This baby has got to be right up there on my fave fried chickens ever!

And then it’s dessert time! The Baonana Split ($6.50) is as pretty as a picture, the gua bao is deep fried and stuffed with a wedge of vanilla ice cream, fresh banana slices, salted peanuts aaaaand drizzled with Nutella! It is amazing and I’m pleasantly surprised that the gua bao isn’t the slightest bit oily!

I loved the Strawbelly Bao ($6.50) too, possibly almost as much as the Baonana Split as the strawberry slices are drizzled with condensed milk and we all know condensed milk is my weakness!

I’m pretty impressed with the baos at Belly Bao, each one hand made with love by Sylvia Tran who formerly sold her baos at the Paddington markets every weekend. I’ll definitely be back this Thurs for another Baoger!

Belly Bao
Good God Small Club
53-55 Liverpool St,
Sydney

Trading Hours:
Wed – Fri: 5pm – 10pm
Sat: 6pm – 10pm