Turns out, she was one of the owners (Duolan Li). As we were finishing up our dining experience, we noticed a lady going from table to table speaking with diners. Served "Manhattan style" with Ramazzotti Amaro, chocolate bitters and bourbon served with a twist of orange peel. We opted to share an after dinner beverage. She said it was good, but a "lighter beer would have been better". I had the Howling Wolf Hefeweisen which paired well with the meal. I love the spicy dishes.not the "burn your face off" type of spice, but heat with flavor! We each had two beers. So we ordered another Okonomiyaki!! **Some of the dishes had some good "heat" to them, however, when we ordered the Gong Bao Xia after the spicy dishes, it somehow put the "fire" out. We were still craving more! Not that the "share" items were lacking portion wise, but that the food was just so fantastic. So, we didn't stop! LOL we ordered the GONG BAO XIA- Head on local shrimp (Love the fact they are using local ingredients) stir fried with green beans, peanuts and toasted chili. We ordered it with the "pork candy".OMG, wonderful! So many flavors and textures going on in this simple yet complex offering. But we both loved it! Then we had the OKONOMIYAKI- cabbage pancake. Next came the SAMUN PHRAI- Herbal Thai sausage with roasted veggies in a yam, coconut, chili sauce with basil.i loved the heat of the spice, my wife found it a bit too hot for her. We started with JIAO ZI-Chao Shou style pork wontons in a spicy chili sauce.fantastic, just the right amount of heat and the flavor was spot on. We ordered off of the "share" menu.tapas. My wife and I were seated at a corner low table. Nothing fancy by any means.but it works! There were a mish-mash of barstool seats, they had some "tall-boy" tables and some low tables with bench seating. The interior decor was that of an abandoned warehouse that a couple "foodies" held a secret dinner in. The entire staff worked in harmony with each other shuttling drinks, plates and taking time with each customer. Very attentive without being overwhelming. She was fantastic! Very knowledgable of the menu as well as the beverage menu. There were not a lot of customers (scary), but not to worry. We were greeted at the door and seated immediately (6:00pm on a Friday night). There were some plantings that acted as a "wall" between the outside dining and the street traffic. The old "pump area" of the converted gas station was repurposed as outside dining area. We were a bit leery about XBB based on the exterior. We parked out front (one of about 6 parking spots on property). We drove by a couple of times until we realized the abandoned looking old garage is actually the restaurant! Very low key and unassuming from the outside. If you don't know where it is, find it! if you can't find it, ask someone! Friends of ours recommended we give it a try. If you dine on your own volition, the disappointing service is on you.Xiao Bao biscuit. Would the chef fire them if they didn't bring out a chili? If we defamed their precious and bland dishes? If dragged to this spot with a friend, bring your own sauces. Going around the chef, then, I asked three different staffers for solutions to the blandness and 2 of the 3 told me they were not allowed and one did not respond. Makes me wonder what sources he is using to define what is true local cuisine. I checked into the background of the chef and it seems like he embraces the Asian culture and even adopted a Chinese name but spent less than a year there. In my trips to Thailand and Taiwan, spices were abundant. Every restaurant and stall I went to in China had some sort of spice adds. They claim that the chef/owner refused to let customers season their dishes, claiming a desire to be true to the cuisine. A delivery truck showed up with what looked like a 20 lb bag of bird eye peppers. The dumplings to be undercooked and tough, unfortunately for her.The vegetarian dishes came out a little bland and I asked for their chili oil. Papaya salad was good, not vegi, unfortunately for me. My non-veg companion ordered the dumplings and papaya salad. Thankfully the staff was willing to ask the chef lots of questions to clarify. One vegi dish mentioned pork and their asterisk game was a bit off. This restaurant tried but the menus confused the crap out of me. I spotted the dude in the back making gorgeous folds in the dumplings and a glorious selection of Asian beverages.As a vegetarian I love when a restaurant marks the dishes that are vegi. Walking in, the ambiance is picnic cozy outside while being accessible speakeasy on the inside. We both lived in China and have a soft spot for Asian food. Full story: My companion and I were excited to try this Bao spot.
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