Inventive Asian cuisine right in the heart of Chiado
€€ – €€€
Largo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, 30
Chiado
308 808 367 website
Mon – Wed, 12h – 23h; Thu – Sat, 12h – 0h30; Sun, 12h – 23h
This charming Cantonese cantina is built on tradition; the kitchen uses typical ingredients that you won’t find in the grocery shops in Martim Moniz and while the interior recreates the feel of a 1920s Saigon market. Start by sifting through the cocktail “passport” and choose from their impressive list of drinks including the Old Thoughts served in a cheeky ceramic monkey head under a burning chunk of bark or opt for a simple Asian beer. Use the restaurant’s “itinerary” (menu) to continue your adventure through street food staples from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Nepal, and China. Boa Bao’s kitchen uses only authentic recipes and original ingredients in the things that they create. When it comes to dim sum, Vietnamese rolls, Taiwanese “bao” buns, glass noodle soups, curries, and wonderful woks, why f— with being creative? The flavor speaks for itself. To finish, try the coconut “crème brûlée” made with coconut, Thai basil, and lemongrass and lightly caramelized with a torch on top. If it’s date night, this sweet concoction will certainly get you both in the mood to be cozy and horizontal.
