As Mr. Grump and I walked through Celestial Park heading toward the Isle of Berk, a small snack stand caught my eye: Star Sui Bao.
The stand featured a picture of something wrapped in fried cheese, and at that moment I knew I had to try it.
But did it actually live up to expectations?
In this review, I'll break it all down and share everything you need to know before giving this snack stand a try for yourself.
Atmosphere & Location:
To find this small snack stand, head toward the portal to the Isle of Berk. When you're right outside of it, look to your left and you'll see a small open-air concrete stand.
There isn't a large sign or decor to signal that you've arrived, just a glowing menu board featuring a handful of items and a few umbrella-covered tables nearby for seating.
The Menu:
The menu at Star Sui Bao is small, featuring just a handful of Asian-inspired snacks with a theme-park spin (bao buns, soup dumplings, and steamed buns). There are also a few beers and non-alcoholic drinks available.
Snack prices generally range from $9-$12, while beers fall around $10-$13.
You can find the full and current Star Sui Boa menu here.
What We Ordered:
Even though Star Sui Bao wasn't on my original list for the day, something caught my eye as we walked by:
Tteokbokki Skewer - grilled hot dog and rice cake wrapped in a cheese crust, topped with yuzu aioli, Japanese BBQ sauce, and scallions ($13).
Sounds amazing, right? And it looked beautiful: a skewer of alternating rice cakes and meat, fully wrapped in fried cheese and topped with sauce.
The taste and texture, however… were a big ol' nope. The entire thing was cold and stale, like it had been sitting out for ages. The hot dogs were soggy and cold, the rice cakes stale yet strangely gelatinous, and the fried cheese was so tough I could barely bite through it. I was excited to try this, but honestly? It was inedible.
Mr. Grump went for the Kimchi Bao - crispy chicken tossed in gochujang sauce, scallion yuzu aioli, and Korean slaw - and Pork Soup Dumplings - seasoned ground pork with black vinegar dipping sauce.
They were slightly better than my skewer, but still wouldn't be described as "good." The bao itself was fine, but the chicken inside was insanely dry, again seeming like it had been sitting out. The saving grace was the sauce: a little savory, a little tangy, which helped the flavor along.
The soup dumplings were… pretty standard. Honestly, the kind you'd find in a grocery store freezer section. Not terrible, but also a little stale, filled with just a tiny bit of broth, served with chili sauce on the side.
Overall Thoughts:
As of right now, I cannot recommend this tiny stand. Especially with so many other delicious options nearby, it's just not worth it.
Will I try again in the future? Maybe, but only so I can report back to you all if it's improved. Maybe I just caught them on a bad day? You never know.
But for now, save your money and try somewhere else.
Have you tried Star Sui Bao? What were your thoughts?
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