Ozen is a new street food shack on Little King Street, and that’s the tempting row of street food vendors by the St James Quarter.
If Ozen doesn’t sound new, though, if it sounds familiar, that might be because you remember the first incarnation of the bao brand from the back of Frederick Street/Rose Street.
This is a review of Ozen 2.0 (still officially known as Ozen Street Food), which won a competitive tender to pitch up on Little King Street and fill the area by the shopping centre with yummy smells. It’s also a review of Ozen on day two of its new life, an important disclaimer. On day two, venues will still be ironing out their process (I think I was there when they had their first cash order), still full of hopes, and it’s a mix of the best and worst of times. I also went on day one, but their power had blown, and my lunch hour was only an hour.
Ozen’s food
A bao bun is currently sitting on the serving shelf of Ozen’s outside kitchen to show people what baos are. Are they still that unusual? Imagine the child of a taco and burger; that’s a bao.
There are six staple boas: the McOzen (double beef patty), the Karaagee Chicken (fried chicken), the Pig Deal (pork belly), the Prawn Star (prawn), the Hello-Me (friend halloumi), the Going Back to Cauli (fried cauliflower) and the Eggplant.
I’ve tried the Karaagee Chicken and Pig Deal. I’m pleased to say that the karaagee was as good as fired chicken always is, but the gamble of the pig deal paid off handsomely and is extra tasty.
There are also side specials such as chicken wings and fries. You can buy the sauces, perhaps the secret ingredient of many a bao, to take home in tubs.
Dangerously, Ozen also offers dessert buns in the form of biscoffables (little buns), drip king Nutella buns and summertime (fruit) buns. I tested a wee dish of four biscoffables and can confirm biscoff as one of the champions of the dessert empire.
There’s no doubting the quality here. There’s a bao competitor a stone’s throw away, which I won’t name, but I did mention to Team Ozen, and they felt confident. No aggression, no sneering, just confidence in the quality of their baos — and I can see where it comes from.
However, I did have to wait a bit for my baos. Just a bit. It didn’t bother me at all, but I’d looped back for my attempt two to visit Ozen on their first few days after work, and I wasn’t in a rush. If I had been trying to squeeze a lunch visit in, then the ticking clock might have been louder, and I wonder if a lot of their lunchtime visitors will be rushed.
As noted, though, this was day two for the street food kitchen, and I could hear the team noting to themselves what, in the future, they could prep in the morning and speed things up.
There are soft drinks, too, but no coffee. It was close to zero degrees when I visited, and a hot drink would have been nice. Oh sure, there are coffee specialists on Little King Street, but coffee specialists often close at 4pm, whereas Ozen opens until 10pm. Yes, I drink coffee at all hours.
Ozen’s vibe
Can a street food kitchen around the back of a shopping mall, in the dark, near freezing, have much of a vibe at all?
Yes, Ozen certainly manages! Okay, to an extent, the situation was unusual as the shack had five people in, managers and founders along with front-of-house staff and cooks, because it was just their second day, and the team was, in some respects, still setting up.
I’m sure, though, that Team Ozen has charisma and banter. I think they all talked to me, perhaps not the chef who was busy with my food, but everyone said hi and engaged. In fact, I think someone said ‘Hello Andrew’! Perhaps they recognised the hat?
There’s also a micro-eatery section. In the Japanese style (the booth used to be Harajuku Kitchen – I think), there’s an inset window, an eating shelf, and a place to sit. I think that’ll make a big difference, especially in the winter, and I think it combines nicely with the often rather fun vibe of Little King Street.
Sadly, for my first two baos I was unable to make use of the eating nook as other customers were smoking there. I guess it’s outside, so they could, but I preferred to eat on one of the nearby (and I hope neutral) benches.
My overriding thoughts about the atmosphere and welcome from Ozen are all positive. I do like a bit of friendly chat from engaged street food vendors; it’s the healthy alternative to the dead-eye stare you get from a student being exploited by a huge hospitality franchise.
Things to do in Leith (or the City Centre)
Ozen is technically part of the St James Quarter. While 80% of the shops there aren’t from my world, I do like the place, especially when they put comic cons in the parking lot. Alternatively, you can climb the steps to the Everyman Cinema and make a better choice than Team ER did when we went to see Disney’s Wish for our Christmas night out.
Across the road, there’s the rival Omni Centre with its rival Street Food and even a rival cinema chain with a Vue.
I like the Edinburgh Playhouse, and if you’re looking for something even more alternative, then there’s Fayre Play.
Overall
There’s now a surprising number of bao specialists in Edinburgh! I’ll have to write up a top list at this rate, and when I do, you can count on Ozen Street Food being in it.
I liked the food and the range of options on the menu. Baos can be hard to fill up on, so the option of exciting sides is most welcome.
It’s high marks for Ozen 2.0, and higher marks in reach if they mature into swifter food assembly and consider hot drinks as a savvy street food option.
This blogger is absolutely planning on coming back to the bao shack to check out the rest of the menu.
A review of Ozen Street Food
Summary
Ozen Street Food is a new, clean, friendly and delicious bao specialist around the back of the St James Quarter. There’s a great atmosphere around the little street kitchen, with excellent customer care and top-notch nosh!
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Supriya Kutty says
I loved how this blog provides a delightful and thorough review of Ozen Street Food, capturing the essence of the experience on its second day. The writer’s genuine appreciation for the food, atmosphere, and friendly service shines through, making it an enticing read. The detailed descriptions of the baos and the charming vibe of the street kitchen create a vivid picture, leaving readers eager to try out the menu.