Graffiti Bao
Scallion Pancakes – Special Soy, Scallion Dressing
Kung Pao Chicken Bao Buns – Natural Chicken, Bell Pepper, Chili Sauce
Royale with Cheese Bao Buns – Angus Beef, Cheese, Pickles, Onions, Special Sauce
Vegetable Dumplings – Black Vinegar, Chili Oil, Scallion
Vietnamese Crab Fried Rice – Lump Crab, Thai Basil, Mint, Lime, Fish Sauce
Basil-Basil Chow Fun with Chicken – Sweet Soy, Thai Basil, Bean Sprouts, Mushrooms
Lo Mein – Roast Pork, Celery, Mushrooms, Bean Sprouts, Red Pepper
Sticky Green Beans – Honey, Sweet Soy, Almonds, Crispy Garlic
Apple Pie Bao Buns – Baked Apples, Cinnamon Sugar
Begun as a counter-service concept inside T-Mobile Arena, Graffiti Bao has now been making noise in the Southwest since September, an opportunity to cater Marc Marrone’s Food finally presenting itself after the Chef axed his public relations team and joined ezCater.
Formerly the Tao Group corporate Executive Chef, but now partnering with Todd Lunger on a fast-casual Restaurant built for scalability, Chef Marrone brings a substantial amount of experience with “fusion” to an Asian-heavy where he hopes to avoid the mistakes of prior failed eateries by turning out high quality items at fair prices.
Well-liked by local Chefs and respected diners, as well as the public in general, Graffiti Bao’s Food “reflects the experiences from travels throughout Asia and the uniqueness of the Hawker Centres,” and for well-within the office’s usual catering budget the Restaurant on the corner of Buffalo and Warm Springs offers plenty to satisfy a diversity of ages, races and palates.
Delivered on-time by Marc’s significant other, all serviceware included and set up professionally, it was at 11:30am that staff began to trickle in, Crab Fried Rice an immediate hit with the largely Hispanic staff while spicy Dumplings and Lo Mein tossed with Pork and fresh Vegetables also went quickly.
Later seeing more experienced diners fall head-over-heels for Graffiti Bao’s Scallion Pancakes, easily the best tasted in Las Vegas to date, it was not long before Chow Fun and Green Beans slicked with Honey joined a list of items receiving high praise, all this before even biting into one of the shop’s eponymous Buns.
Both Vegan and allergy-friendly across several menu sections, Bao currently come in six varieties, Kung Pao Chicken probably the most “authentic” and vibrant with Chili Sauce while the In-N-Out-style Royale with Cheese and Apple Pie are decidedly “American” but absolutely delightful in terms of the Bun’s fluffiness surrounding flavorful contents.
N/A: Making it blog policy to not ‘rate’ places based on catering alone, Graffiti Bao sets a very high standard in terms of customer service, while all eight items were nicely presented, displaying “Fusion” without being compromised and appealing to everyone from Indian to Asian to Hispanic to Vietnamese at a range of income levels and travel experiences.
RECOMMENDED: Scallion Pancakes, Royale with Cheese Bao Buns, Basil-Basil Chow Fun with Chicken, Sticky Green Beans.
AVOID: N/A.
TIP: Southwest location is open: Monday through Saturday from 11:00am to 9:30pm and Sunday from 11:00am to 9:00pm. Follow @GraffitiBao for specials.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.graffitibao.com
