The Patio Group & Legal Restaurants To Open Bao Beach In Mission Beach This Summer

June 3, 2016

After recently opening Fireside By The Patio in Liberty Station and announcing the future launch of Harvest By The Patio in San Diego's East Village, Gina Champion-Cain's The Patio Group and Chef Antonio Friscia's Legal Restaurants are teaming up again for the launch of Bao Beach, set to open as early as this summer at the location previously occupied by Poseidon's Divers at 3735 Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach.

Bao Beach is located in a small storefront nearly across the street from The Patio Group's recently acquired Saska's Steak & Seafood. The space is currently being renovated with the assistance of Lahaina Architects, who also assisted The Patio Group with the renovations for nearby Swell Cafe in Mission Beach, as well as The Patio on Lamont and The Patio on Goldfinch.

Bao Beach's packed poke bowls

Bao Beach will build upon the bao bun mini-sandwiches that were a hit at Chef Antonio's now-defunct Gaijin Noodle House & Sake Bar (2012-2013), a concept very much ahead of its time that Chef Antonio and his longtime Chef de Cuisine Fern Tran made popular with their ramen, yakitori and bao buns, long before San Diego's ramen invasion.

Chef Fern will likely lead the kitchen at Bao Beach, serving authentic and remixed versions of the classic Bao Bao (steamed rice flour bun sandwiches), as well as poke bowls and kimbap "sushi" rolls. Expect unique takes on bao buns, including a fried chicken bao and a breakfast bao, in addition to more traditional bao bun recipes that will include braised meats and pork belly.

For more information on Bao Beach, visit baobeacheats.com and follow on Facebook & Instagram.