Review Cloud Thief - Sydney

I had a braised beef brisket rice bowl for lunch and loved it. Flavoursome and healthy (brown rice) with a salad on the side. The salad ingredients was simple yet the combination of lettuce and radish (and whatever else was in there) have it a nutty taste which I really liked. Portion size was reasonable which I prefer as I don't like wasting or over eating.

Bao bao ~ we order $15 bao combo.. its ok Very busy lunch time , little waiting but wasnt too long .. 2 Bao’s and chips and drink...good chance for tasting .. I am big eater , I was still hungry .lol

I had my pork belly twice here. First time, it was perfect. The second time, the meat was brown (soy sauce to conceal something?) and the salad was covered with enormous amount of mayonnaise. So, from my experience, the quality varies; I would put five starts for my first visit and, like, two for the second. Probably won't go here again.

Great flavours for both mains and sides. If you eat a lot like myself, get your hands on the salad bowls. My favourite is the braised pork belly; super tasty, pork melts in your, and best of all very filling. I've never had to wait an excessively long time even during the lunch rush

Horrifically poor value! Was served a completely flavourless poke bowl, rice was dry and unseasoned. The only thing giving the dish flavour was the chilli sauce, which was poured sparingly over enoki mushrooms I specifically requested to be left out. I also ordered the bao combo meal which is terribly deceptive on the advertisement. The bao themselves are tiny. Tinier than any other bao joint who h serves them much cheaper. I ordered the spicy fried chicken which tasted quite nice (more than an oyster sized portion of chicken would be appreciated!) , but I also ordered the beef short rib bao, which was tasteless (aside from lots of soy and chilli sauce) and very very chewy, almost inedible. The two to three clippings of lettuce were also drenched with rinsing water and ruined the bao. Suffice to say I will never visit again. Just not worth the money, with so much more variety literally just footsteps away.

Ok but Mr Bao is better. Had the spicey chicken and the barramundi. Spicy chicken is quite hot so be warned. The chicken was quite tough though so wasn't that pleasant to eat. The barramundi was ok but I found it had too much cucumber lining and the fish wasn't thick enough. Shoe string fries were nice however. All in all Mr Bao makes better Bao and their sweet potato fries kick ass.

Go for the crispy pork bao and the fish. Excellent. For $15 you get a side of fries and a drink to make a meal.

Very good bao. Surprisingly flavoursome. Real effort has gone into this concept you can tell.

Do you Bao? These delectable light fluffy pillows filled with delicious goodies are hard to resist. The Cloud Thief outlet in World Square gives Sydneysiders plenty of choices for their bao fixes and they seem to attract plenty of bao-fans. So what to choose. They all sounded so good. We started with Spicy Fried Chicken. This was a bao filled with Taiwanese spicy fried chicken, Asian slaw, shallot, sriracha sauce and spicy sriracha mayo. It was a great combination. The next one was Mongolian Lamb. The bao was filled with braised Mongolian lamb, roasted red capsicum, spring onions, XO mayo and cumin praline sprinkle. Another tasty one.

I can understand some people scoring this place poorly based on that they’re not traditional but you need to sometimes let go and enjoy the ride. I think they’ve done a wonderful job of delivering a great range of Bao whilst not starting to far from the original

To be honest didn't have high hopes for this food court gem but thankfully I was pleasantly surprised. The baos were fluffy and each of the fillings are awesome. Highlight was the pork crackling bao. Highly recommended!

I can see why they call themselves Cloud Thief. The baos are soft and fluffy and so yummy! My favourite is the chicken. They are small and expensive though so perhaps they work best as starters so as not to break the bank!

Didn’t have this at night noodle markets last year since I knew they would have a permanent store after the markets finished, and it’s not as overpriced compared to the markets. It’s still pricey for a a bao since in theory it’s just plain flour and water, but I guess you’re paying the the technique in which they can make the baos so light and fluffy.

Pretty mediocre baos at really high prices. Baos at ippudo are much better. I’m giving this a 2 because my partner seemed to like the deep fried chicken baos - I really didn’t like the ones I got. They are super small to make it worse! I got the beer battered barramundi and the soft shell crab. Where do I start.... beer battered barramundi was bland and had no good flavour. Just tasted fishy... the soft shell crab was just whacky in general. Honestly felt forced. It had black beans on top with fermented cabbage and just tasted confusing all together. I really didn’t enjoy this one at all. Only thing that was ok was the chips... but hey, that’s just deep fried. It’s super pricey too, for 2 baos and chips it costs $16. Was definitely not value for money. Won’t be coming here again.

Too much fluff~<br/><br/>Visited the Pitt St. Westfields store, to start off the service was not the greatest. Got their double down deal (get drink/chips for a discounted price), but a misunderstanding had happened because when I got my baos, I was informed my order didn’t come with fries which I thought would happen when I got the deal. So I had to order again and pay full price. Not ideal but whatever. <br/><br/>Ive had a fair share of different baos, and these are definitely on the bigger side! Not a bao burger, but their baos are big and luscious. That’s what you would expect from bao. Unfortunately, to an extent the only redeeming factor their baos. Their fillings are inconsistent between their options, I tried their fried chicken and Peking duck ones. While my girlfriend tried roast and braised pork ones. The ‘birds’ need more bird or something, because at the end I felt like they didn’t add enough because there was just too much ‘fluff’ for what I got. In comparison, the pork ones got a huge chunk of pork and what not, felt like portions were off. <br/><br/>Overall, baos were decent. Fries were crisp and seasoned with what seems to be chicken salt. I don’t know if their prices justifies what I got. My service could have been better

Not sure whether it was a good thing in the end, but they got my order wrong and ended up with the Braised Pork Belly Bao instead of the Crackling Roast Pork. The pork belly was actually really delicious, the meat was moist & soft, very flavoursome. However I did really wanted some crackling.... For the extra $1.50 premium I also got the Peking Duck Bao, it was ok, but the meat wasn't the most tender & favours didn't soak through the meat. The serving size in general was small for the price. Still think Mr Bao is the best baos in the city.

Wow, cloud thief... what a catchy name.<br/>I wish the food here done better, and I’m sure management can arrange some improvement <br/>Did order from premium selection, for me there is just average, nothing so special.<br/>I like this type of Chinese bao, but I will try again maybe just have a bit so good day for me!

I'm guessing these guys are very recently open because the ordering system produced a number of hungry, verging on hangry, punters waiting for bao. 4 bao took over 20 minutes - 2 people behind the counter probably not sufficient for a small queue. <br/><br/>We had the soft shell crab - tiny amount of crab and $8 and beef short rib - dry meat. 4 bao + a side between two people was about $40 but this will probably not satisfy an average appetite for dinner.

Highly recommended for any bao fan. Tried the spicy chicken bao. The bun is so soft and yummm. The only drawback is that it’s expensive. The bao is really tiny compared to price and 1 is not enough if you are hungry. But top points for taste.

Was eager to try and was somewhat happy with the taste of the dish.... however... I ordered a fried chicken rice bowl and received a bowl mostly of rice with some lettuce, some sauce and two very tiny nugget sized pieces of chicken... definitely not worth $12.50 nor was the cup of ‘old school lemonade’ at $4.50 for a cup.. Many other places around offering better value for money, such as Dragon Boy which this place replaced.

I was really excited to try out cloud thief, considering it's new and well who doesn't love a good bao?! Walking in I found the decor quite simple, but it really lacked energy. It was very plain. I found the store quite stuffy too, and the poor waitstaff were sweating like crazy even though at the time there were only 3 customers. It took some time for us to be served, because there were only 2 staff members at the time. We ordered the crispy tofu, umami mushroom, peking duck, and fried chicken bao alongside the sweet potato fried with sriracha mayo. We also got a lychee soda, since I so love lychee! It took quite some time for the food to come out to us, and considering cloud thief is more of a take-away food court style place... it seemed like a really really long wait. The peking duck bao was the one I was most eager to try, but it turned out to be a real disappointment. There was barely any duck filling, and the duck meat itself was incredibly dry. There wasn't much sauce either, and the bao bread was just overpowering. The umami mushroom bao was similar, and the flavour of the mushrooms was nothing special. The sauces didn't compliment at all. We enjoyed the crispy tofu bao with the crunchy seaweed and fillings, but it was a little dry closer to the bottom of the bao. The fried chicken bao was delicious, and I loved the peppery coating of the chicken which was really tender. This one was definitely my favourite. The sweet potato fries were good, and the sauce was nice too. We loved the lychee soda, and unfortunately I think this may have been the best part of the meal. For the price we paid, I don't think we got our moneys worth because the serving sizes of the bao themselves are very very small. Not sure if I will come back, but on a hot day I may just pick up a lychee soda on the way home.

Cloud Thief is a brand new Taiwanese eatery at World Square which specialises in gua baos. The casual eatery features a lively interior with an unmissable pink neon lights on the right and black-and-white street art. The eatery offers a list of 10 baos. <br/><br/>I ordered two of them, including fried Singapore soft shell crab with black beans and their signature braised pork belly. First, the soft shell crab seems misleading because it is never a part of Singaporean cuisine. The soft shell crab was limp, soggy and appeared to be leftovers from their lunch. <br/><br/>Second, the pork belly was a mere fatty meat with unchewable fats in between two pathetic and impotent slab of meats. Likewise, I believed it was leftovers from lunch.<br/><br/>I could not see why the baos are any good.

Went there today for a quick takeaway lunch, after 10mins I could tell everyone had been waiting for a long time for their order, lots of people were going up to the unorganised kitchen and checking on their orders which was disappointing to see, most looked pretty unhappy by the time they received it.After 25 mins I finally received my rice bowl order - quite disappointed in the quality of ingredients and overall quantity. A very sad small amount of salad/veges/meat with a lot of brown rice to beef it up.Such a shame this place did not live up to its name, maybe only the bao's are the good thing.

Couldn’t wait to try it. Went one Sunday afternoon and a huge disappointment. Would never go back. The pork belly was dry and hard as a rock and the chicken was also dry. I expected more for the price.

Cloud Thief (formerly Bao Stop) has opened up in World Square! Why is this such great news you ask? because Matt works at World Square and has been waiting patiently in anticipation for a long time now for their opening. Perhaps it's not a good thing because it's not cheap.. oh well!. We were lucky enough to be invited to the launch just prior to leaving on our honeymoon. It was the perfect excuse as well to test out the new camera so it made perfect sense. Besides.. Cloud Thief wants to serve us all you can eat bao, who in their right mind would refuse!  Cloud Thief brings Taiwanese street food to a whole new level. It’s just a little bit fancy with bold flavours and amazing, amazing (yes, I had to repeat that) fillings.

We came here just to try this new place out. There are many fillings to choose from, we went for fried chicken, soft shell crab, braised pork belly and short ribs.<br/><br/>They are quite small for the price we pay, out of all 4s, we like the pork and the chicken most. The sauces are nicely thought out and the buns are very soft. However, overall was just average and have to say there are tastier baos out there. <br/><br/>We didnt try the chips, but the portion seems to at least be bigger. Can give Lychee soda a pass.

The perfect stop for lunch & tastes amazing. The restaurant is very clean & service is good. I had the Pork Belly Bao (2 for $13), they were excellent - a little too much coriander though.

We checked this place out for lunch today and since we came just before 12, the place wasn’t busy. My husband and I tried their soft shell crab, Peking duck, braised short rib and spicy fried chicken bao, the baos were nice and fluffy but the duck just lacked filling for the price you pay. Out of the four we liked the chicken the best. We also tried their sweet potato fries and lychee soda which was more ice than soda. Both were okay but nothing to rave about.

Tastes great, but expect to be hungry afterwards unless you're spending $20+. Bao are cool, but not sufficiently different from bread to really warrant the price tag.

I've heard they were stealing clouds so I've stormed in to investigate them. I've tried Classic Bao (Braised Beef Short Rib and Braised Pork Belly) and Braised Pork Belly Rice Bowl. I love pork belly. The buns were bloody soft as expected and I loved the short rib bao. Pork belly was ok. The rice bowl was a bit of let down. It looked bland and tasted bland. Brown rice was too hard for my liking and mayo unfortunately killed the presentation of the dish. I give this place 3.5 bears.

Formerly known ‘BAO STOP’ has been taken and transformed into ‘CLOUD THIEF’ 😄. Making their first re-appearance at the ‘Night Noodle Markets’ this year, they have certainly gained a following… I was promised succulent Peking duck fries, super soft Bao & amazing flavour combinations!  THEY DELIVERED!<br/> My favourite bao was the fried chicken..i mean.. am i right!?And i absolutely loved the way they have turned Brussels Sprouts into a delicious side dish! I recommend both of the above, and i also loved the braised pork belly bao which had great flavours!  The peking duck fries are another gerat dish to order :)I wasn't a huge fan of the tofu bao but everything else was quite enjoyable.And to be honest the FLUFFIEST BAO I HAVE TRIED!  (just like CLOUDS).Check out my full review!

The new Cloud Thief store has landed at World Square, and we’re glad that this means that some of our favourite fluffy bao are now available from a permanent spot in a convenient location, after enjoying our fix from their stall at the Night Noodle Markets earlier this year. We loved the funky decor and energetic vibe at their new space, which matches the cheeky tone of their fusion menu.

Recommended!! Pork was tasty, and spicy fried chicken was crispy, but might need to marinate a bit more. Looking forward to come back and try all other menu!!

If you are still mourning the closure of Dragon Boy or the end of the Night Noodle Markets, it’s time to cheer up. The guys behind Cloud Thief (formerly known as Bao Stop) are launching a permanent outpost on the old Dragon Boy site in Sydney’s World Square from December 2nd. If you have tasted their fluffy bao and mouth-watering fillings at the Night Noodle Markets, you will want to make a beeline to their new store. The menu features around ten Bao flavours as well as a number of side dishes including the crowd favourite Peking duck fries. The classic Chinese dish tastes just as good with crunchy chips as it does wrapped in a pancake.

Amazing food and great service. Best and most fluffy baos I've ever eaten. <br/>The old bao flavours that were at the Night Noodle Markets are still on offer and the new ones are next level, full of flavour. Also had the Sweet potato fries, XO beans and the Brussel sprouts...I'm not a huge fan of Brussel sprouts but wow these were phenomenal! Full of flavour. <br/>Easy to park and all undercover so great in rainy weather too. Awesome location in World Square. Definitely going back again very soon.

So excited to visit Clould thief on opening day!!! Absolutely loved the food I received. five stars from me everything was amazing !!!! Highly recommend it !!!

Absolutely loved the food I received, five stars from me everything was literally foodporn! <br/><br/>My tastebuds wanted more and more and more. <br/><br/>Highly recommended it!

Friendly staff, Lovely food, great service! What more could you ask for? Enjoyed myself a lot and defiantly going back again. Would defiantly recommend 10/10

I tried the Braised Pork Belly at Bao Stop Markets. It took my tastebuds to heaven and back. A total flavour explosion in my mouth, would recommend anyone going there!

food was amazing and the staff were so lovely making it an around great experience. Absolutely loved the food I received, five stars from me everything was amazing !!!!

Absolutely loved the food I received. Great<br/> :)<br/>Went to the food markets on Saturday night and got me some bao stop.<br/><br/>And I tell you what if you want an amazing meal and some awesome service go here.

Formerly Bao Stop, well known from its appearance at markets and food vans, they have revamped and opened a store in World Square. The cafe has been styled really trendy and cool and plenty of room to sit. They have beers, sparking and soda on tap and we tried a lovely lychee soda. The bao are great - there’s a huge range of flavours; mushroom, tofu, chicken, fish, beef brisket and more. These come on soft pillowy bread or loaves of goodness. We also got to eat the amazing sweet potato fries with a lovely cinnamon flavour as well as everyone’s favourite - the rice noodle and Brussel sprouts.

A very welcome addition to Sydney CBD by the revamped and rebadged Bao Stop.<br/><br/>Expanded range of bao from the food truck. <br/><br/>The bao buns are spectacular, soft and fluffy, got that cloud part right. <br/><br/>The amazing food truck experience doesn’t fully translate to the restaurant, but it is only day 2. <br/><br/>Duck a little dry and pork lacks the flavour punch of the food truck version.<br/><br/>Out of the new bao, lamb is the most successful. Barramundi is okay and beef a little lacklustre. <br/><br/>But those Peking Duck fries, amazing, worth coming back for again and again.