BAO To Open Its Seventh Restaurant and Flagship KTV This Month
Nestled in the heart of London’s Square Mile.
BAO, London’s cult-fave Taiwanese chain is set to welcome a new restaurant right in the heart of the City of London. Going by the name of BAO City, the restaurant also marks Bao’s flagship KTV(karaoke). Tucked inside Square Mile’s Bloomberg Arcade, a trendy spot where independent restaurants, culture and arts meet, BAO City is set to become a refreshing new spot for the neighborhood.
“We’re really excited to open BAO City, where we can realize our dream of recreating a Taiwanese karaoke bar right in the center of the city’s financial district,” says BAO’s co-founder and creative director, Erchen Chang. From the interior design to the ambiance, the new space differs quite a bit from its other sister restaurants. BAO City actually derives its inspiration from Taiwan in the ‘80s and ‘90s, a city-pop-like and neon-lit environment where Chang had grown up.
Designed by BAO’s in-house creative team, MATHS, the new restaurant’s interiors feature dark red satin-finished walls, cherrywood veneer paneling, and burgundy leather-clad banquette seating in geometric forms. Warm and retro, the dining is illuminated by a standalone lightbox, complete with individual lamps on each table.
The restaurant is equipped with two private rooms for karaoke, and the song catalog features over 300,000 tracks for guests to choose from. One room caters to up to 10 people, with interiors inspired by Oliver Stone’sWall Street film from 1987. Modeled after a set from Edward Yang’s 1985 film, Taipei Story, the other room can house a party of 25 and comes fitted with bright LED screens that recreate a neon Fujifilm billboard.
The menu focuses on sharing plates, BAO’s classics as well as a selection of xiao chi (small bites) that are perfect for bigger groups and parties. Beverages-wise, the drink menu now includes beer towers for dinners and karaoke-goers to indulge at their own paces.
BAO City is set to open at the end of the month, on September 26. Those who are interested can start booking via BAO’s official website starting September 6
BAO City
2 -8 Bloomberg Arcade,
London,
EC4N 8AR
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