Erik Bruner-Yang (left) and Eddie Huang (center) and Eddie’s brother Evan (right) in the kitchen:
Patrons waiting patiently in line (order the bao’s to-go if you don’t like waiting in line):
The night’s menu:
These soft doughy buns make Eddie’s baos irresistible; the ingredients in the center make them exceptional:
The Chairman Bao (Berkshire pork belly, crushed peanut, cilantro, Haus Relish and Taiwanese red sugar):
The Haus Bao (Creekstone beef cheek, crushed peanuts, cilantro, Haus Relish and Taiwanese red sugar):
In lieu of dessert, we imbibed this plum Sake (no dessert during the pop-up):
The amazing Kimchi Hakata, available every day at Toki Underground:
DJ Jesse Tittsworth preparing for the night’s set:
Last night was the first time Eddie Huang from Baohaus NYC and Erik Bruner-Yang from Toki Underground got together in a kitchen. The results were resoundingly brilliant, a tale many loyal and patient patrons waited 3.5 hours to be a part of. Was it worth the wait? Let me just say that I ate so many baos & ramen that the kitchen may have to close early as a result. Eddie’s Taiwanese bao, a soft doughy steamed bun filled with a variety of savory toppings (an Asian sandwich if you will) are what food dreams are made of. The texture of the cloud-like bao combined with excellent ingredients like pork belly, beef cheek and tofu are quite magical. And Toki’s ramen, well, we’ve written long paragraphs extolling its virtues Here. To top off the evening, guests were serenaded by Jesse Tittsworth, the internationally lauded DJ, producer, and fellow foodie whose dub-step style music brings everyone to the yard.
It was a food/music/art event unlike any other we’ve ever been to in Washington DC. And if you missed it last night, you have another chance to catch it tonight. It’s worth the wait.