Managed to learn about the new Bao Bao 宝宝 that has recently opened in the basement of Katong Shopping Centre — these folks had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of Le Le Zhan Desserts 乐乐站; the dine-in area being situated within a shop unit from within the mall while there is also the food preparation area that is situated in a kiosk that can be found outside of the mall. Turns out, Bao Bao is a brand that hails from India which had firsts started in 2022 with multiple outlets running in the country; the outlet at Katong Shopping Centre would be their very first overseas outpost. The menu at Bao Bao is segregated into sections dedicated to Chicken / Fish / Prawn / Crab / Vegetarian Baos, Udon Bowls and Sides, while the beverages menu is listed in the Boba by Bao Bao menu that comprises of categories such as Signature Milk Teas, Fruit Teas, Fresh Milk, Coffee, Macchiato and Juice.

Found ourselves opting for the Lemon Coconut Fish Bao, which came with elements such as fried fish, Kerala-inspired lemon coconut sauce with curry leaves and peanuts. On first look, the lotus leaf bun that Bao Bao uses is larger than the typical commercially-made lotus leaf bun commonly found in supermarkets. One thing that really surprised us here was the consistency of the lotus leaf bun; the lotus leaf bun does come pretty light and fluffy despite its size — there is also a lingering hint of fragrance and inherent sweetness from the Hong Kong Flour that is used in the making of the lotus leaf bun. While the fried fish itself does feel pretty generic being one that comes with Panko bread crumbs used for the deep fried batter on the side exterior that comes in a hue of golden brown, the fish was still moist and doesn’t carry any undesirably fishy notes. The inclusion of the Kerala-inspired lemon coconut sauce provided a Thai Green Curry-esque flavour, though the sauce does come with a runny consistency and is way lighter in flavour with a stronger coconut-y aroma and a slight zing as compared to Thai Green Curry that is also well-complimented by the use of peanuts which adds a little bit of nuttiness to it. We also note the use of chopped red onions that further adds on a zing to the Lemon Coconut Fish Bao as well.