The age-old debate on whether you are a sharer or lone rider when ordering food is one I tend to take quite seriously. A mere forkful of someone else’s choice doesn’t quite cut the mustard for me in terms of trying different plates. My family and I have always been on the side of the sharers, the bit-of-this-bit-of-thaters, and the mix n’ matchers. We were lucky enough to taste test the newest dim sum and street food menu at Baozilnn Soho, an intimate Northern Chinese restaurant tucked away amongst the streets of Soho and boy did we share an almighty range of delicious dishes.

Baozilnn Soho's menu is chock-full of lush street eats to try.

The vibe of the venue is cool and casual, think a relaxed modern café with a bar. Once sat at our window table, we quickly ordered our first drinks. We kept it simple and ordered a couple of beers to wet the whistle whilst we sifted through what seemed like an endless option of dishes. Each menu had a tick box next to the item which made the ordering experience seamless, though did mean that my dad and I ticked most of the dim sum dishes without even attacking the street food. The phrase spoilt for choice was certainly applicable in this instance, so much so that the two of us had to do the walk of shame to a bigger table because we may or may not have over ordered.

Super quick service meant we need not wait long for what was a sea of dim sum delight. A few guilty looks of ‘this can’t be ours as well, can it?’ had a take-home doggy bag written all over it, but we were soon tucking into our first victims- the bao platter (£12.50). We had seven flavours to choose from and so to avoid exploding, I opted to try the chicken. The filling oozed out of its bouncy bun coating in what was a perfect combination of texture and taste.

The food here is all that and dim sum; it also serves a great selection of beer.

Next, it was time to attack the Beijing steamed dumplings (£14.90). Multicoloured in appearance, this pretty plate was perhaps the best set of dumplings I’ve ever tasted. Neatly tucked inside a delicate blanket of sticky dough was a range of pork, vegetable, and chicken fillings, each just as delicious and distinct in flavour. It was very much a case of you are what you eat after I made my way through a plate of these, but they were simply too moreish to avoid, especially when drenched in a generous helping of soy sauce.

We also opted for the golden sand shredded pork chop (£8.50) and the chef special braised beef brisket (£11.90) to pair with the Dan Dan noodles (£12.50). The crispy coating of the pork chop had a mouthwatering salty punch, which was tastier when coupled with the nutty flavour that came off the noodles, all followed by the smack of spice that came with the beef brisket.

The cosiest interiors perfect for curling up with soup dumplings.

The DesignMyNight Digest 

Simple yet delicious, Baozilnn Soho certainly ticked the boxes of my favourite kind of dining experience. Relaxed, sociable, and great service, it wasn’t just the food that made this venue one to remember. Yes, we may have over-ordered, but this is a testament to the sheer amount of options you’ll be faced with when you visit. Dim sum translates to ‘touch the heart’, and it’s safe to say that Baozilnn Soho left its print on mine.

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