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    Be strategic about your drive times!

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USA TODAY 10Best

Take A Bao Premieres in Studio City

A modern take on Asian cuisine
Sujata Day

January 20, 2012 // By Sujata Day

By Sujata Day
January 20, 2012

 

Hipster tunes hummed at the perfect volume when my friend and I walked through the glass doors of Take A Bao in Studio City, which premiered in November 2011. Located near Valley pub hotpots, Laurel Tavern and Black Market Liquor, Take A Bao adds to a recent resurgence of “ultra-cool” business and restaurant openings along Ventura Boulevard.

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Short Ribs "Bi Bim Bop" Rice BowlShort Ribs "Bi Bim Bop" Rice Bowl — Photo courtesy of Sujata Day

Architecturally clean and modern, the sleek interior design of Take A Bao matches its fresh, contemporary Asian-inspired cuisine. Upon entrance, happy hosts stand behind the counter to eagerly take your order. We grabbed some menus and seated ourselves at a long, wooden table next to the outdoor patio, which is furnished with heat lamps for chilly Los Angeles nights.

Stocked with a full bar and tempted by tantalizing cocktails, we ordered the Passion Margarita and Wet Cucumber martini, neither of which disappointed. First things first, order the addictive Tofu Popcorn (tempura-fried balls of tofu accompanied by cilantro cashew chutney). Each juicy and delectable short rib of my Bi Bim Bop brown rice bowl, with pickled vegetables and red chili sauce flavors, melted in my mouth. My friend sang praises for her Chicken Udon noodles, loaded with mushrooms, bok choy, and cabbage.

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Take A Bao in Studio CityTake A Bao in Studio City — Photo courtesy of Sujata Day

After satisfying my need for savory fare, it was time for something sweet. We dove right into the Banana Nutella Bao, a cinnamon sugar bun topped with nutella, caramelized banana, marshmallow, and chopped hazelnuts. The perfectly executed Chocolate S'more Bao proved that simplicity trumps sophistication in the dessert department. Take A Bao offers vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and kids’ menus on request.

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Sujata Day

About Sujata Day

Living in the land of perpetual sun, beautiful beaches, and gorgeous people has fueled Sujata Day’s creativity in myriad ways. Her short story “Forbidden Fate” won the WRITE STUFF competition sponsored by MTV and People magazine, birthing a prosperous writing career. The tale was published in a collection of short stories titled Pieces, edited by Stephen Chbosky. Reviews hail Pieces as “an exciting glimpse into the future of fiction” and “endearingly raw, undeniably bold, and engagingly inventive.” Since moving to LA from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, Sujata has appeared in many TV shows, films, and internet productions. TV credits include Desperate Housewives, Secret Life of the American Teenager, Campus Ladies, Greek, and The Loop. She plays a supporting role in 2009’s Down For Life, alongside Danny Glover and Snoop Dogg. Sujata produced, wrote, and starred in the web pilot Raveena and the Vampire chosen to launch as a 2010 premiere vehicle on the popular internet channel, Somebody’s Basement. Currently, she stars as ‘CeCe’ in the hit web series, Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. Sujata can be seen next starring in the film, Big Breakin', to be released in early 2012.

Read more about Sujata Day here.

Connect with Sujata via: Facebook | Twitter


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