A tiny Vietnamese-Chinese fusion counter tucked into a Mills 50 strip mall that's turning out the most interesting bao and dan dan noodles in the city.
Bao House
Cuisine
Vietnamese-Chinese Fusion
Mills 50 · Orlando, FL
1234 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
Hours
Tue–Sun 11am–3pm, 5pm–9pm · Closed Monday
Phone
(407) 555-0182I’ve driven past this strip mall a hundred times. The sign is small, the parking lot is shared with a nail salon, and there’s no outdoor seating to catch your eye. It took a tip from a line cook I trust before I finally stopped — and I’m annoyed it took me that long.
Small. Maybe twelve seats inside if everyone gets cozy. The walls are bare except for a chalkboard menu and a single framed print of a street market that might be Hanoi or might be a stock photo — doesn’t matter, the food is the story here. You order at the counter, grab a number, find a seat if there is one, and wait about eight minutes for something excellent.
The Pork Belly Bao is the move. Two pillowy steamed buns, each cradling a thick slice of lacquered pork belly with just enough char, pickled daikon, cucumber, and a swipe of hoisin-sriracha that doesn’t overpower. This is the benchmark version of this dish in Orlando right now. I’ve had the ones at the trendy spots downtown. This one is better.
Dan Dan Noodles — order these. Rich, deeply savory, the kind of dish that makes you forget you were going to eat light today. The chili oil level is aggressive in the best possible way. Ask for extra peanuts.
Crispy Tofu Bao — even if you’re not a tofu person, try this once. The texture contrast between the shatteringly crispy exterior and the soft bao is genuinely impressive.
Skip the spring rolls. They’re fine, but they’re not why you’re here.
Two bao and a bowl of dan dan noodles comes out to about $18 before tip. In this city, right now, that’s a steal for this quality.
They close hard at 3pm for a lunch service and reopen at 5 for dinner. If you show up at 3:30 wanting lunch, you’re out of luck. Check the hours before you go.
Bao House is the kind of place that makes me glad I still take tips from people who actually cook for a living. The strip mall location is either a liability or a proof of concept — they clearly don’t need the foot traffic. The food speaks.
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