The original bao. Size of a McD double cheeseburger. It's yummy but the flavor is on the lighter side. Both the meat and pickled veggies have just enough flavor, but I prefer more flavor. The sausage bao is the same flavor wise, I think it's missing garlic. The bao bun is just right. The slush also has a hint of sugar and flavor, which is too light for me. Overall, I would return again. Enjoy your bao! read more

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Lots of vegan options like the Soy Steak Gua Bao. The young lady at the cash register spoke fluent English. She was very helpful. If there's one Chinese/Taiwanese place in town that I really like, it's Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen. Much better than Taipei 101 and Brewery Bhavana. read more

We've been coming here for over three years. It's in the H Mart food court in Cary. As a Taiwanese person, I can say the food is legit. The pork belly gua bao has good, huge piece of braised pork, the right amount of greens, peanuts, and sauce in a soft bun. The mega chicken fillet plate is crispy, juicy, and comes with a big pile of rice, pickled cabbage, veggies, and a marinated egg. Portions are still generous--same size or even bigger than before, which is rare these days when places cut back. Quality has improved over time: but prices and amounts haven't changed much which is really rare! Solid spot. We'll keep going back. read more

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I'm shocked I haven't reviewed Love Bao?! I have been coming to Love Bao for years, ever since they opened at Cary H-Mart's food court. It was my introduction to Taiwanese food and set the bar high for me. While I've tried several items off their menu, I always find myself going back to crispy pork belly rice place. It's not the cheapest thing on the menu but I assure you the portion size is plenty enough to share. My husband and I often split just one plate and we are satisfied. Since it's a stall at the food court, you order at the counter, pick up your food when ready, and return the tray and plate back at their window. Ordering is easy and straightforward, and I've always found everyone friendly and approachable despite the limited interaction. The food court itself can get quite busy and hectic so be prepared for that! read more

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Yummy! I ordered the lean pork gua bao and the popcorn chicken plate. I had to wait around 10 ish minutes for the food to come out, which is not too bad. The lean pork gua bao was SO GOOD! The bun was so fluffy, the pork was very flavorful and super tender, and the picked veggies added a really nice crunch to the bao. I should've gotten a few more, they were great and very filling! The popcorn chicken plate was a miss though. They gave a lot of chicken and rice which was good, but the popcorn chicken quality was not great. It was thick, hard to chew, and it didn't even contain much chicken. It had such a heavy layer of coating, fat, and weird gelatinous substance inside the chicken that I did not enjoy. Next time, I'll just get the baos. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Popcorn chicken - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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My husband and I love love love this place! It's one of our go-to's when we're in this area. Our favorite things to order are the Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Over Rice) and the Original Pork Belly Gua Bao. The pork in the Lu Rou Fan just melts in your mouth and the cabbage/pickles are perfect to pair. As for the Gua Bao I love the peanuts and sweet/savory taste! Quick service, authentic and not just food for the belly but food for the soul. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Original Gua Bao and Lu Rou Fan in the background (not the best picture but food SO worth it) - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Love Bao is my favorite place to eat in Cary's H-Mart and they seriously know how to put a great bao and box together. Love Bao is one of the few places in the area that offers traditional Taiwanese fare, and is a hit within the Taiwanese community that I'm involved with. You'd think H-Mart would be all in on the Korean fare, but Love Bao is the true gem. The baos that are served here are a bit different. Just think, you want to make a sandwich and you have only one slice of bread so you put everything in the bread and fold it in half. That is the essence of a bao (although baos are so much better than plain white bread). You can put many different things inside, pork belly, fish, chicken, all of it is great! It is garnished with picked greens and peanuts to give it a fantastic earthy and tangy flavor balance. Although the restaurant is literally called "Love Bao", I think their boxes are the best things on the menu. For a reasonable price, you can get plenty of rice, a meat, some steamed cabbage, picked mustard greens and an egg. It easily can turn into two meals. My favorite is the popcorn chicken. The chicken is plump and juicy and the five spice used on it is so addicting. Their pork belly and crispy pork belly are also delicious. I tend to lean towards the crispy pork belly on this because of the sweet and savory combo. I've even had their vegetarian soy steak and konjac pork belly boxes, both viable vegetarian options. You don't even really miss the meat in those boxes! I don't often shop at H-Mart, but I will come to the store just to pick up food from here from time to time. Service here is friendly and quick, and usually the food will be ready after a few laps around the store. It's the perfect combination, you get your delicious meal and your groceries at the same time! read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Popcorn chicken rice plate - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen is still our #1 choice in Cary H-Mart's "food court". We discovered this a few years ago, the same time we discovered H-Mart itself. If you're craving for authentic Taiwanese with the best popcorn chicken, gua baos, and braised pork belly rice plates, this is the spot. Initially got Bao's Popcorn Chicken Rice Plate, which is still the best popcorn chicken rice plate I've ever tasted. I prefer the spicy over regular. Love Bao's chicken are well-breaded, well-spiced, and as round and big as typical meatballs. The oval plate comes with a good amount of popcorn chicken with side of pickled mustard greens, salty cabbage salad, brown egg, and white rice. The vegetables are tasty, and the same sides are included in the Braised Pork Belly Rice Plate that my girl usually orders. The pork belly is the star of Love Bao's menu, a tender and well-marinated part of a hearty meal. My girl and I usually trade: a few pieces of my popcorn chicken for a tiny slice of her pork belly. That's the "Love" portion of "Love Bao's" experience; The "Bao" is our more recent discovery, and equally as appetizing. They have a variety of gua baos (a.k.a. "Taiwanese burgers) you can order, mostly with pork belly or leaned pork. They're quite larger than a typical appetizer baos you can get from other Asian restaurants, and for around $6 to $7+ each, it seems it's fairly-priced as a couple of them could make a stomach full. The ingredients they put inside the lotus-leaf bread are balanced to create delicious flavors. Here are my thoughts on what we've tried: Original Pork Belly Gua Bao - this is the standard gua bao; not our favorite gua bao but my girl sometimes enjoys its simple yet flavorful taste. Kimchi (Pork Belly or Lean Pork) Gua Bao - The powdered peanuts inside give it a crunchy taste, and the kimchi goes well with the brown sugar, cilantro inside. Mala Spicy (Pork Belly or Lean Pork) - my personal favorite because of ita yummy & spicy mala sauce; I'd put it on the same level as the kimchi one because this is lacking the powdered peanuts that the Kimchi Gua Bao has. Crispy Fish Gua Bao - Tastes like McDonald's Fillet O'Fish with its more mayonnaise-based sauce. Still tasty but we'll never order this again. Customer service of Love Bao wasn't initially friendly. There were a couple of times I asked for Siracha sauce for my popcorn chicken & the lady at the counter seemed to have a problem with that, telling me I should have ordered spicy. There's a newer, friendlier lady cashier though, and she took our orders without issues. It can get crowded inside H-Mart's "food court", especially on weekends, so it might be tough to find seats sometimes. The gua baos are great for takeout anyways, so we don't have to sit to enjoy them. Most of the time, we're able to find seats and tables are usually clean when we dine in. If there's 1 food spot in H-Mart that deserves its own restaurant location, it's definitely Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen. Overall Score: 4.5/5 read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Front of Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen inside H-Mart in Cary, NC - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Love Bao is located inside the H Mart in Cary. The whole food court area is usually really packed when we go, but for some reason, it wasn't so bad recently. Maybe we were one of the few people to go during the "inclement weather" we recently had. The seating is first come first serve and usually packed like sardines for all the food shops inside. They were showing a video of different items on their menu and I decided to get the crispy pork belly rice plate. The portion was larger than I expected (not a bad thing). The plate was layered with rice (although I wish it came with more rice), with a piece of lettuce on top, then the pork belly. The lettuce must have been there to protect the rice from the pork oil/fat. The pork itself was really crispy, as advertised, but they either used really old oil or they cooked it too long. It had this weird taste of old oil to it. It actually made me feel nauseated for a while once I got home. I might give the bao a try next time, assuming it isn't a zoo inside. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Ok love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen. I ordered the porkchop plate comes with three sides, pickled mustard greens, steamed cabbages and a braised egg hard boiled.and Jasmine rice. You know what, it is the best breaded pork chops I had in years. Tender, juicy and very full filling. This is gonna be my Go -to- fast and yummy pork chops in the area. It's located in the food court of HMART. The popular and successful Korean owened Asia market. Eat first before you do your Asian grocery. You will thank me later. Highly recommend to everyone who enjoys a twist in their appetite. read more

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Came to H mart and this was a great meal before some grocery shopping. Was able to order quickly and waited about 10-15 minutes for my food to come out. I ordered the crispy pork belly rice plate. It was so yummy! Portions are big and was a good price for ~$16. I was able to take some home for leftovers. Lots of pork! Was very crispy and sauce was good on top. Loved the veggies, I wish it came with a couple more veggies. I wish I ordered a Bao because they looked delicious! Can be tricky to find a seat in the food court at H mart but we were able to snag one. Would definitely come back if At H mart! read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Crispy pork belly rice plate - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

The pork belly with eel sauce is great! The people who work there are very nice and they make sure that you get the right/your order every single time. read more

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Grabbed lunch from here recently and enjoyed my meal! Love Bao is located inside the H Mart, so it can get a little busy but at least there's a big ol' parking lot. I ordered the crispy pork belly and it took a while to get my food, but I came during ~peak lunch hours so I wasn't surprised. My meal had a LOT of food and it was very tasty! The crispy pork belly was delicious, and I enjoyed the cabbage and other accoutrements. I will say that it was too big a portion for me to eat by myself for lunch, and it was priced somewhere around $16, which was a little expensive for me. I'd much rather pay less money for a smaller portion, honestly. That being said, I really liked Love Bao and would definitely come back! read more

Not a lot of Taiwan places around that have Bao bums. This place is great and the food is really delicious

Wow, really fantastic Taiwanese restaurant in the H-Mart food court! They people working here are friendly and very efficient and the portion sizes are really generous! Finding seating can be difficult on a weekend, but it really takes me back to the crowded streets of Taiwan. The Pork Belly Bao is fantastic! Rich and meaty, the pork belly just melts away in your mouth. Absolutely fantastic! I also got the minced pork over rice. Really delicious savory pork also with pickled greens that help cut through the richness. The white rice so fantastically soaks up all of the sauce. If you are shopping here, be sure to leave some time (and some room) to grab food here. You won't be disappointed :) read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Fantastic food! Pork Belly Bao and Minced Pork over a Rice :) - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

I've been wanting to try this place with its good Yelp reviews and convenient location in the H Mart food court, and finally got around to it recently. I ordered the Original Lean Pork Gua Bao, the Mala Spicy Gua Bao with Pork Belly, and the Lu Rou Fan - Braised Pork over Rice - all to-go. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I got home that I realized that they gave me a Mala Spicy Gua Bao with Lean Pork instead of Pork Belly. Regardless, the meat was tasty - I was just hoping to try something different. If you can imagine a soft, pillowy steamed bun as the sandwich wrapper filled with meat and toppings inside, that's what a Gua Bao is. The lean pork was flavorful, and I liked the hint of sweetness and contrast in texture with the crushed peanuts inside. The pickled mustard greens also added some contrasting texture and flavor with its slight crunch and acidic tang. Overall, it was a well-balanced and complete combination of flavors and textures all in one bao. The Mala Spicy Gua Bao was similar, but leaned heavily on the spicy flavors - there was no hint of sweetness and no peanuts added to this one. The pickled mustard greens were still part of the bao, which was good, but it was as advertised - spicy. The Lu Rou Fan was tasty - with a different cut of pork, but similar flavors as the original gua bao. It came with pickled mustard greens as well as steamed cabbage and braised egg. It was good, but I probably wouldn't order it again - I would rather try other baos. All in all, I enjoyed what I tried. I wish they had gotten my order correct, but I suppose I'll have to come back another time to try a different bao. The prices are a bit on the steeper side, but I think it's worth it. read more

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BLUF: Authentic, with a large helping of nostalgia! Can't find another place like this! Right off the bat, the braised pork belly was unctuous (in the best way possible), melty, smooth, full of flavor. They kept the original very straightforward with the pickled mustard greens, chopped peanuts, and cilantro. The pillowy steamed bun caught the braising juices. Magic in a small package. Both rice dishes were very generous with the size of the meats and rice. The pork chop was fried to perfection, maintaining its juiciness and tenderness. Thank you Love Bao for using chicken thighs! Next time I'll have to ask to buy a little extra braised meat sauce to pour over the rice. The amount was wonderful, that extra braised meat would make it go down even easier. read more

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Love Bao is a great place to go if you need great Taiwanese food with plenty of options. The menu here provides a wide variety of dishes to try from. My favorite is the rice plates, which come with cabbage, eggs, some pickled greens, and your choice of a main protein (or vegetable). No matter what I order, I always end up very full and usually have enough to keep as leftovers for another meal. If you're in the area I'd highly recommend you come try this place. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Lu Rou Fan - Braised Pork Over Rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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I came with 3 friends on a Thursday night evening for dinner. The food court wasn't too crowded so we were easily able to find a seat. I ordered the fried pork chop rice plate, which came with an egg, cabbage, and mustard greens. The fried pork chop was well-seasoned and very flavorful. There was a lot of food given the price paid. I did find it a tad dry, which is not surprising given then nature of the dish - but I did wish for some sort of sauce. Overall, I had a great experience and would love to try something new next time I come! read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Fried pork chop rice plate - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

8/25 2:30 PM Located inside Cary H Mart on High House Rd. I didn't know any of the restaurants inside the H Mart existed. I was starving, and I knew I wanted vegetables and something filling. Love Bao was one of the recommendations. I had chopped pork belly, cabbage, and rice, which was very good. The pork was flavorful, and the portions were large. The person who took my order was pleasant. It took about 10 minutes to cook, and it came up fresh and hot. I did not enjoy the pork belly bun as much as the pork and rice, but there are really good choices on the menu. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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***FOOD: LOVE BAO definitely lives up to its name. LOVE the bao here. PORK BELLY Bao - really delish. CRISPY FISH - right balance of crispiness TAIWANESE SAUSAGE - love the pickled greens in this. tasted like lap cherong POPCORN CHICKEN - another winner great sauce and greens ***COST (OUT OF 4$) $ ***DÉCOR: inside the HMART Food Court ***SERVICE: counter service. You order, they call your number. You go pick up. ***RECOMMEND: MOST DEFINITELY HIGHLY RECOMMEND read more

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This is a stall inside H-Mart food court. I've only tried the popcorn chicken rice plate, which was delicious! The popcorn chicken is not the normal small pieces as I've been used to. The chicken pieces are the size of meatballs, and you get a good portion. Hot pieces with real chicken, satisfyingly juicy on the inside. I wish it's crispier on the outside, and with basil. The rice plate came with a delicious braised egg, refreshing crunchy cabbage, pickled vegetables, and rice, which nicely completes the meal. This stall seems to specialize in bao. Maybe I'll try that or another rice plate in the future. Food court seating. Clean up after your own table. Self serve water at one end of the food court with tiny styrofoam cups sized for espresso. read more

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It's always a treat to run across a Taiwanese food booth. I feel like Taiwanese is a perfect blend of Asian flavors. I wanted to splurge $13-15 on a lunch to celebrate a productive week and there were so many choices but I've kept seeing the "Crispy Pork Plate" from this booth. I decided to get it for lunch. It was quite delicious! It's definitely enough food for two people to share. I was only able to finish half of it. I love how the crispy pork is cut into tiny pieces but still left with a crunch. It also comes with a cabbage salad and pickled mustard. The flavors blended well together but I feel like it was lacking in something -- possibly a spice? In the future, I don't mind ordering this meal again to split between two people. It can be a bit overwhelming for one person to eat. Overall, great customer service. The folks here are kind and attentive. read more

I always mean to stop in here whenever I visit H Mart and today was finally the day... I ordered the spicy lean pork bao, which was absolutely delicious. My wife tried a special beignet bao that came with two fried dough bao soaked in a sugary sauce and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It was sweet but lacked much flavor. That's okay, my spicy lean pork bao was so good that my wife just finished that instead. read more

Love Bao is my go-to restaurant for my favorite comfort food -- the braised tofu rice plate. I'm not kidding when I say I come here at least once a week for the braised tofu or lean pork rice plate! It comes with lots of rice, pickled vegetables, sautéed cabbage, and a delicious marinated egg. The portions for the price of the meal are fantastic. You can find Love Bao in the food court area of H-Mart. The service is always quick, staff is incredibly friendly, and the food is consistently spot on. If you are a fan of Taiwanese food or want to try it out, I highly recommend trying this restaurant. read more

Very bad, waste my money, they cook the way too sweet and everything is taste the same. The cold noodle with shredded chicken plate was tasteless, they use the noodle quality was so cheap, hard and dry..:( I won't go back again. read more

You definitely get your money's worth, just look how large that piece of chicken is. It's bigger than my face! The gua bao was also very good, even the next day. Only thing is try to go earlier than later because by the time we went which was probably a late lunch hour, quite a few things were already sold out. Guess I'll have to try the fried mushrooms and cold noodles next time I'm in town! We ordered quite a few items so it took a little longer but since you're in an H Mart, you can just do some grocery shopping while waiting. (Though be careful not to buy too much while hungry :P) read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Love Bao is one of my fav treats, and I frequent it with my family. The extra crispy Bao burger hit's the spot. Always fast friendly service, plus I get my grocery shopping while waiting , usually 10-20 minutes depending on time of day, it's always busy. read more

I honestly don't want to write this review for this gem because I'm selfish but alas!!! I won't gatekeep. I can't take the credit for finding this spot. A friend of mine recommended it- his Taiwanese parents always stop in here when they are in town and honestly what better review could you have than repeat visitors?? My go to order is the Mega filet chicken plate extra spicy. You guys. This one portion is enough to serve two people comfortably. That being said- you're not going to want to share so get your own. I always order this to go so I can store half of it in another container and save it for my lunch the next day. It comes with a giant spiced and breaded chicken filet, boiled egg, cabbage and greens. I haven't moved on from this dish because it's so delicious so I can't speak for anything else on the menu but I don't doubt the chefs here! Staff here is super friendly. Once their cashless system had broken down and the cashier was super kind and was happy to go ahead and place my order while I ran out to the bank to get some cash. YES. This is how good the food is. It's worth the hassle. read more

I've been wanting to try Love Bao ever since it opened in the HMart food court, but honestly it was a bit of a let-down because of the small portions. It's about $11 for the Braised Pork Belly Rice plate but I felt that wasn't worth it for the three pieces of meat, and the sauce wasn't phenomenal either. The side veggies (cabbage and pickled mustard greens) were yummy but still tasted bland as well. Maybe it's worth trying the baos or the crispy pork belly, fried pork chop, or popcorn chicken rice plates here instead - it seems from the other reviews and pictures that you get a ton more there. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Braised pork belly rice plate - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Yes you ready your GPS correctly, Love Bao is inside of H Mart. The lean pork dish is packed with flavor and the perfect level of tenderness. The acidity of the cabbage offsets the robust deep flavors of the pork. I always opt for an extra egg as they are always fluffy and rich in flavor. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Lean Pork plate - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

An underrated option in the Hmart food court! They have quick service and per my Taiwanese friends the taste is there too. I got the popcorn chicken and lu rou fan and my car smelled so good for the next 24 hours. The portions are big and is worth a try. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Lu rou fan - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Consistently delicious food. I don't live close by but anytime I'm in the area, I have to stop by H-Mart and get my fix. The pork belly bao, lean pork bao, and pork belly kimchi bao are my favorites. The popcorn chicken is also fantastic. read more

Absolutely delicious! Basil popcorn chicken with Crispy pork belly bao is absolutely phenomenal. The chicken is cooked to perfection. The pork nice and crispy. The steamed buns are a nice soft contrast to the crispy pork belly. Overall a delicious meal and I am so please I gave this place a try! read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

I eat vegetarian food, I was surprised and excited to see Soy Steak this on their menu. It was beyond my expectations. So many flavors packed in that bao. Soy was perfectly cooked. It's one of my favorites in the triangle now. I recently went back to pick up a to-go. Food was fresh, quick pick up and social distancing was practiced at HMary to the T. Definitely give this a try if you haven't already. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Veggie soy steak bao - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Love Bao is a great place to go for authentic Taiwanese food! My personal favorite is the pork belly gua bao. Service is quick and the food is good! Will definitely be back read more

I really love bao buns and would come back for the chicken because the meat was really tasty and the buns tasted so good with it because of its soft and yummy texture. The fish bao bun surprised me just because I thought it'd be a grilled fish but instead it was more of a fish filet, like the type you see in sandwiches at fast food restaurants so I wasn't too much of a fan. I was also surprised that the toppings were lettuce, ketchup, and mustard because I usually have had bao buns with toppings like grilled vegetables and other sauces. However these still taste good and these were the only non-pork buns they had other than a soy steak one I think. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Fish bao bun (top) and chicken bao bun (bottom) - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

If you don't know what a bao is it is time to get off your mom's couch and expand your palate! They're also known as pork belly buns for the less-inclined folk. First bite into these soft gooey warm spectacles of goodness and you'll be hooked. Baos are the Taiwanese version of burgers but they are so intricate, from the doughy texture of the bun to the crispness of the meat and the flavors of the dressings. I don't know if any other spot near the area that specializes in these, so this a must try if you're looking for a unique Asian food course. It's located within H-mart in Cary and there's a host of other great Asian restaurants within this food court. I've been here countless times and I've wanted to venture off to some of the different spots but I can't ever turn down the opportunity to go here. I've narrowed down my favorites to the 1) kimchi pork belly 2)crispy pork belly. They are small but very filling, you can definitely get away with just ordering one if you're looking to stay light on your stomach. Also, be sure to order a side of their sweet potato fries with plum powder, there isn't an order of fries like 'em! read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Kimchi pork belly, plum powder fries, miso soup - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

I noticed this place pop up on Yelp and I had to try it out. Stopped by with a couple of buddies and got an Original Pork Belly Gua Bao with a bowl of cold noodles with shredded cucumbers. First of, the Gua Bao with the pork belly was super flavorful. The cilantro and pickled mustard greens complimented the pork belly very well. It does contain peanuts for those who are allergic! The cold noodles were decent but not the best. The shredded cucumbers work really well and reminded me of this Chinese dish called Zha Xiang Mian which is also a noodle dish with shredded cucumbers and ground meat in sauce. I definitely dig the peanut garlic sauce but be warned, the level of garlic is no joke. You will not be going home and kissing your significant other unless you brush yo teeth and rinse with mouthwash for a good minute or two. read more

Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen - Original Pork Belly Gua Bao - Taiwanese Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Fantastic place the baos are great and we also get the spicy chicken and king mushrooms. Super friendly staff definitely recommend !