Serving traditional Shanghainese cuisine in a fast casual setting, Jack’s Bao founded a flagship location on Cannery Row nine months ago and parlayed that success into a second location in Aptos two months ago. Working her first restaurant job, server Mectli Rangel’s friend manages the Monterey store and thought Rangel would be a good fit to help the Aptos location gain a groundswell of local support.
Born and raised and Guanajuato, Mexico, Rangel immigrated here with her family at age 18 and says she loves the area because of the nice people and blessing of ocean proximity.
The menu at Jack’s centers around main offerings of noodles, baos and wontons. The namesake baos headline, with three types available: xiao long bao (a soup-filled dumpling), as well as steamed pork and mushroom/bok choy veggie options.
Rangel says the most popular noodle choice is the spicy noodle with pork, bok choy, green onion and cilantro rounded out with assertive heat. They also offer a Lion’s Head meatball noodle soup and a veggie option, and the wontons come either fried or in a soup with shrimp, pork and vegetable variations.
Sticky rice pudding is for dessert, and best beverages are cold teas in four flavors: rose, pineapple, lychee and jasmine.
What have your guests been saying about the food?
MECTLI RANGEL: Those that have tried our food so far have said really good things, and that they are planning to come back and bring their friends. When I serve the dishes to the tables, the guests get very excited—they love our big portions and always leave happy and full. Our staff is very friendly and we always make sure the guests are satisfied, and our cooks are also very dedicated to high quality food and kitchen cleanliness.
What inspired your family’s immigration?
They were looking for a better future for themselves and me, and they wanted me to be able to continue my education and thought that America would be the best place for that. It was a long process that took more than three years, but eventually we were able to make it here. The decision to immigrate was great for me and my parents, I feel very secure here, and it is everything I thought it would be and more.
49 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos, 831-708-4099; jackbao.com
