14.11.2024 | Restaurants

Handmade bao bursting with flavour

Text and photos Mark Taylor

You get two bao in each portion.

Tallinn’s Balti Jaama Turg market has become an epicentre in Estonia for great street food, and that is in no small part due to one of its first street food vendors – Baojaam.

The name of the eatery is a play on what they serve, Asian steamed buns “bao”, and “jaam” that means stop or station in English – which are handmade in front of your eyes and served with a wide selection of tasty fillings.

According to the server, “the Korean style Crispy Chicken is the most popular”. Having been to the Baojaam before, I can also say that this is my favourite. The crispy chicken offsets the soft warm bun perfectly and with the chilli mayonnaise and kimchi inside it has a juicy and slightly spicy kick to it too (but nothing that is overwhelming).

If the crispy chicken is not for you, they also offer trout, shrimp, pork belly and tofu bao. A nice touch to their bao menu is that all of the options are lactose-free.

Baojaam, was opened in 2017 by chef Mihkel Rand, who has previously been named Estonia’s best chef and also worked at the Michelin-starred Noa Chef’s Hall in Tallinn. With such a pedigree of chef behind the street food establishment it is no surprise that it has even garnered attention in foreign publications such as being named in Lonely Planet’s “Ultimate Eats List. The World’s top 500 food experiences.. Ranked”, among others.

Here is the bonus, bao are not all they serve, Baojaam is merged with their Frika Baar, which serves artisan fries, that are available with just sauce, cheese, or as loaded fries in three varieties (Chilli Cheese, Vegan Kimchi, & Potato and Shrimp).

If you like the sound of what they offer, but can’t get to Tallinn any time soon. You can hire their pop-up kitchen and get delicious bao’s for your birthday party, wedding, work summer party, or any other occasion you can think of.

Baojaam, Balti Jaama Turg, Kopli 1, Tallinn.