Papa Bo Min: Sydney’s newest Chinese restaurant touts flavoursome and healthy menu

Casual eatery and bar Papa Bo Min is Sydney’s newest Chinese restaurant, and located in CBD’s Grosvenor Place. It joins the Lotus group of restaurants which include Lotus Galleries and Lotus Barangaroo. Papa Bo Min is a a casual eatery and bar, serving modern Chinese food. It also offers options for takeaway lunch and dinners six days a week.

The newest addition is decidedly quirkier than its predecessors, and smaller in scale. It seats 50 via low tables and banquettes. To add to its charm, the space was also designed to enhance its low-key, effortless vibe, showcasing the outdoor CBD to its indoor clientele. Neutral colours, raw ply timber and exposed brick add to the breezy atmosphere. The space was designed by Paul Papadopoulos of DS17, who also designed Lotus Barangaroo, Alpha and Beta Bar.

Papa Bo Min’s menu accentuates its “better for you” philosophy, showing that Chinese cuisine doesn’t have to be heavy. Locally grown vegetables, ginger, soy and fish sauce feature heavily on the menu, along with the restaurant’s take healthier take on san choy bao, made with zucchini, green apple, shiitake mushroom and water chestnut. Other favourites on the menu include prawn dumpling and half a BBQ duck with Papa’s pancake and sweet sour plum sauce.

The dessert menu also features items with the Papa Bo Min twist. Group pastry chef, Tiffany Jones created a lamington with an Asian twist, made flourless with Valrhona chocolate and black sesame, Satilia Valrhona chocolate mousse, raspberry and hibiscus jam. There is also a Papa’s macaron ice-cream sandwich on the menu, made with lemongrass ice cream and burnt vanilla pineapple jelly.

Cocktail artist Kate McGraw also brings light and fun to the bar menu, creating a Papa’s Frose, made with orange blossom and rhubarb. Kate’s Hard Lemonade, a mix of gin, lemonade fruit, lemon aspen, milk oolong and prosecco, is designed for summer weather and sharing with friends. Sommelier Annette Lacey has developed a rotating wine list, offering more than 25 wines by the glass. There are also in-house sodas and juices available.

The restaurant’s name come from owner Michael Jiang’s father, who is also known by family as Papa Bo Min. Its “better for you” approach to food is also found in its business management, with a portion of proceeds from selected dishes going to the Barnardos Australia “reconnect” program. The program helps troubled youth with life skills, nutrition and finances. In addition to this, Papa Bo Min is committed to greener options, using only biodegradable takeaway packaging. They also offer free sodas for every six takeaway soda bottles customers bring back.

 

Papa Bo Min

Address: Grosvenor Place, shop 3, 225 George Street, Sydney
Website: lotusdining.com.au
Hours: M-F: 12pm-9pm | S: 11am-10pm

Images supplied and credited to Alana Dimou.

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