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Eat My Words: We try The Bao Baron in Folkestone

05:00, 08 December 2022

updated: 10:27, 08 December 2022

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Broccoli in a bun. It doesn't sound too appetising, does it?

When a friend insisted I visit The Bao Baron in Folkestone and give the unusual dish a go, I wondered if it was a wind-up.

The salt and pepper broccoli bao bun at The Bao Baron in Folkestone - so good it could turn you vegan
The salt and pepper broccoli bao bun at The Bao Baron in Folkestone - so good it could turn you vegan

Surely buns are made for burgers or currants, not one of my least favourite vegetables?

How wrong I was.

The salt and pepper broccoli bao bun I tucked into is genuinely one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.

More on that later - as well as the "addictive cabbage" and the steak in curry sauce.

First, a bit more about the restaurant itself.

The bright yellow Bao Baron shines out in Guildhall Street, Folkestone
The bright yellow Bao Baron shines out in Guildhall Street, Folkestone
Guildhall Street in Folkestone, where legions of Londoners march down towards the Old High Street and the harbour arm
Guildhall Street in Folkestone, where legions of Londoners march down towards the Old High Street and the harbour arm

It's located along Guildhall Street where, in the summer months, you'll see legions of Londoners - fresh off the high-speed train - marching along towards the seafront.

They'll then head down the Old High Street to reach Tontine Street or Folkestone Harbour Arm, the surroundings getting trendier the closer they get to the coastline.

I've lived in Folkestone my whole life and it has drastically changed since I was a bored teenager milling about town with my mates.

The Old High Street used to be a bit rough and a place to steer clear of.

We pulled up in the car park next to Lidl in Folkestone, where artist Leigh Mulley's seagull mural adorns the wall on the back of the old Metronome theatre
We pulled up in the car park next to Lidl in Folkestone, where artist Leigh Mulley's seagull mural adorns the wall on the back of the old Metronome theatre
You can see why Folkestone is gaining a reputation as an arty town. Just around the corner in Rendezvous Street is this vibrant artwork by Greg Stobbs which appeared in October
You can see why Folkestone is gaining a reputation as an arty town. Just around the corner in Rendezvous Street is this vibrant artwork by Greg Stobbs which appeared in October

But I recently popped into a bar down there where an "experimental folk" band were playing - watched intently by a small gathering of people with beards and berets. It was a brief visit.

Guildhall Street is not yet quite so avant-garde.

The huge Bonmarché covered in scaffolding is cramping its style.

After seeing some of Folkestone's magnificent murals on the way to the restaurant, we were presented with Bonmarche, surrounding by scaffolding in Guildhall Street
After seeing some of Folkestone's magnificent murals on the way to the restaurant, we were presented with Bonmarche, surrounding by scaffolding in Guildhall Street

But further along, on the corner where Luca's Cafe long stood, you will now find The Bao Baron. How did it end up here?

Head chef Greig Hughes first started serving his unique Pan-Asian street food during lockdown in a taproom in Tontine Street. He then launched a pop-up on the harbour arm.

A year ago he established its permanent location in Guidhall Street, which my wife and I visited last week.

Inside the Bao Baron in Folkestone, where among the artworks hanging on the wall is the famous Great Wave off Kanagawa
Inside the Bao Baron in Folkestone, where among the artworks hanging on the wall is the famous Great Wave off Kanagawa

We were shown to a cosy corner right next to a radiator - very welcome on a chilly evening.

Within seconds a small bowl of "addictive cabbage" was placed on our table.

The "addictive cabbage" appetiser at The Bao Baron in Folkestone
The "addictive cabbage" appetiser at The Bao Baron in Folkestone

Our attentive and informative waitress told us it's a free appetiser they offer to everyone.

Well, it was the best cabbage I've ever tasted. It was covered in a delicious tangy sauce and we absolutely could have eaten more.

My wife had a blood orange mule mocktail (£5) while I, with no draught beer available, opted for a 440ml can of Hythe Bay Homegrown pale ale (£6.80).

Enjoying my Hythe Bay Homegrown pale ale at The Bao Baron in Folkestone
Enjoying my Hythe Bay Homegrown pale ale at The Bao Baron in Folkestone
The blood orange mule mocktail at The Bao Baron in Folkestone
The blood orange mule mocktail at The Bao Baron in Folkestone

It was nice and hoppy and comes from the local Docker Brewery. Coincidentally, Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay started playing on the speakers as I took my first sip.

Other tunes I picked up on amid the hubbub of other diners included a bit of Bowie and Noughties classic Dancing in the Moonlight. No experimental folk music here.

It wasn't long before the aforementioned broccoli bao bun (£4.50) arrived.

Of course, no Eat My Words review is complete without the obligatory big chomp picture... this salt and pepper broccoli bao bun I tried at The Bao Baron was one of the nicest things I've ever tasted
Of course, no Eat My Words review is complete without the obligatory big chomp picture... this salt and pepper broccoli bao bun I tried at The Bao Baron was one of the nicest things I've ever tasted

Wow. The steamed bun was soft as a pillow. I'd happily eat it by itself as a dessert.

The broccoli was crunchy and spicy. Together, the whole combination melts in your mouth.

How can something so good be one of your five-a-day? If all veg tasted like this I might even turn vegan.

For her starter, my wife had the crispy squid (£7) with gochujang mayo.

The crispy squid at The Bao Baron in Folkestone was impressively meaty
The crispy squid at The Bao Baron in Folkestone was impressively meaty

Fortunately there's a handy glossary on the back of the menu. Gochujang, it says, is a savoury, sweet and spicy fermented red chilli paste from Korea.

It was delicious - and the squid was impressively meaty.

Next came a side of schichimi (Japanese spice blend - thanks, glossary) spiced fries (£4) with katsu curry sauce.

The schichimi spiced fries go great with katsu curry sauce at The Bao Baron in Folkestone
The schichimi spiced fries go great with katsu curry sauce at The Bao Baron in Folkestone

Who doesn't like chips and curry sauce? This is the ultimate version.

For the mains, our waitress recommended we try something from the new "cooked over coal" section of the menu.

I opted for the rump steak in Massaman curry sauce with roasted cashews (£16).

I highly recommend the rump steak in Massaman curry sauce with roasted cashews at The Bao Baron in Folkestone
I highly recommend the rump steak in Massaman curry sauce with roasted cashews at The Bao Baron in Folkestone

Steak and curry doesn't sound like a match made in heaven. But I was so glad I put my faith in our server's advice.

It was incredible - a juicy, medium-rare steak with a rich, mild sauce which "fuses Persian, Malay and Indian ingredients".

Like the broccoli bun, you simply have to try it.

My wife had the Korean fried chicken bibimbap (£16), which comes with a mound of jasmine rice and a runny fried egg erupting on top.

The Korean fried chicken bibimbap at The Bao Baron in Folkestone
The Korean fried chicken bibimbap at The Bao Baron in Folkestone

There is also pak choi and some sweet pickles to help balance out the salty chicken.

The Bao Baron was getting busier at this point.

Three somewhat follicly-challenged fellows - let's call them The Bald Barons - had sat on a table next to us.

"He said we've got to try the cauliflower bibimbap..." I heard one of them say. Clearly word is spreading about the restaurant.

We were already feeling full but were persuaded to try another side. The sweetcorn and lime leaf fritters (£4.50) were the perfect lighter bite, with a satisfying pop from the sweetcorn.

The Bao Baron's sweetcorn and lime leaf fritters had a nice pop when you took a bite
The Bao Baron's sweetcorn and lime leaf fritters had a nice pop when you took a bite
We may have overindulged at The Bao Baron in Folkestone but this Singapore ice cream sandwich was so good it had to be finished
We may have overindulged at The Bao Baron in Folkestone but this Singapore ice cream sandwich was so good it had to be finished

We'd decided to go all out and dared try to fit in a dessert too, sharing a Singapore ice cream sandwich (£6.50).

It was a sublime sweet treat to round off an amazing meal.

The next time you come to Folkestone, rather than following the herd down to the beach, it's well worth stopping off for a bite at The Bao Baron first.

It's one of Kent's hidden gems - and the food is some of the best I have ever tasted.

Make of this what you will, spotted in The Bao Baron's toilets
Make of this what you will, spotted in The Bao Baron's toilets
That tree's looking a bit worse for wear. Or, more likely, it's another of Folkestone's many public artworks which we saw on the way back to the car
That tree's looking a bit worse for wear. Or, more likely, it's another of Folkestone's many public artworks which we saw on the way back to the car

Ratings out of five:

Food: It made me like broccoli and cabbage. Enough said. *****

Staff: Polite, quick service and excellent recommendations. *****

Drink: It's a shame there wasn't any draught beer but the Docker ale did the job. ****

Decor: With its Japanese artwork, leafy interior and decent playlist, it's a relaxing atmosphere. ****

Price: The cost of any beer these days makes me wince, but £4.50 for that broccoli bao bun is a steal. ****

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