There’s about to be a new burger in town… and this one may change your feelings about fast food forever.

Steamed Taiwanese Bao burgers will be the order of the day at 128 Barrack Street, where fans of Asian food will soon find a healthier and more nutritious bite for their buck.

New eatery Bao Boi is basing their concept on ‘gua bao’ or ‘bao’, a fluffy steamed bread bun served as a snack in Taiwan, where it’s usually stuffed with slow cooked pork belly.

With Bao shops popping up in hipster neighbourhoods all over the world, from London to Toronto, Cork foodies will enjoy the trend with a local twist; Bao Boi’s steamed burgers will be filled with tasty ingredients from Cork producers, as per their ‘takeaway with a conscience’ ethos.

Flavours will include the Vegan Bao (with Ballyhoura Mushroom or crushed avocado), the Market Fish Bao (with seaweed, lemon mayo and pickled Dillisk) and the Sticky Pork Bao Bun (with kimchi, shiracha and crushed peanut).

Another intriguing menu option is the Taiwanese Blood Cake, which is being produced for Bao Boi by artisan pudding supremos McCarthys Butchers in Kanturk. Something similar to Irish black pudding, but with a different spice blend and sticky rice instead of barley, in Taiwan it’s served on a popsicle stick, dipped in soy egg glaze and crushed peanut.

Oh, and word has it there’ll be a Taiwanese version of the infamous spice bag on the menu, along with Bao Boi’s Dirty Garlic Fries with black sesame aioli. 

The Bao Boi crew will be serving up their tasty buns from 12:30pm to 11pm, Tuesday to Sunday and it’s not just savoury treats that’ll be on offer. Behold the Bao-Nut; a dessert bao stuffed with banana, ice-cream and chocolate.

Bao Boi will open its doors on Barrack Street in the coming days, keep an eye on their Facebook page for details.

If serving healthy, nutritious fare to the Barrack Street masses sounds like your kind of jam, Bao Boi are also looking for part time counter and kitchen staff (CV’s to buns@baoboi.ie).