A new Chinese bao shop is coming to Queen and Bathurst

Banh Mi Boys should brace itself for some competition on the steamed-bao front. Mean Bao is already beloved amongst visitors to the Village by the Grange food court near Dundas and McCaul, where it’s been operating since mid-2013. The food counter has a knack for being right on-trend—its menu currently includes steamed-to-order dim sum, hot quinoa boxes with various toppings, and (of course) fluffy Chinese bao stuffed with interesting fillings (braised beef with Taiwanese pickle, for instance, or pulled pork with apple slaw). Now the business is expanding with a new location on Bathurst Street, just south of Queen West. The signage is already up, and recent tweets from the restaurant suggest that the opening date isn’t too far off. In the meantime, the prices alone are worth salivating over.