We all know that Chinatown has been on the decline for a while now, but that doesn’t mean everyone has abandoned ship. We are very happy to see Chinatown opened in late 2017 and becoming an integral part of Chinatown. Chinatown BBQ exert themselves to provide the most authentic Chinese BBQ experience and there is no better place than the heart of Chinatown on East Pender Street near Main Street.
Strength: Perfectly made Chinese BBQ, beautiful historical decor.
Weakness: Waitress wasn’t very friendly.
Other Chinese BBQ
- Heritage Asian Eatery (3.5 Stars)
A proper Chinese BBQ restaurant
From outside, you can see the oriental style roof with dragon flourish. We enter into a small foyer with beautiful color of the BBQ on display. To order, we turn towards the right to reveal a spacious dining hall. There are lots of oriental elements weaved into the store.
Old fashioned decor gives a historical new look
Entering Chinatown BBQ is like going back in time. The interior decor looks very new, but the design is something you could only find in older Chinese restaurants. There are black and white photos and old posters on the wall to give customers a taste of history. Dark green and red are two colors that are hard match, but checkered floor tiles fused them beautifully.
Roasted Pork on Rice was perfect
The Roasted Pork on Rice was just perfect, a hearty meal on its own. Fluffy long grain rice with a layer of roasted pork on top. There is sweet soy sauce drizzled over this pork to bring the pork fat into the rice. This roasted pork is so amazing. Every piece of this roasted pork has a bit of soft bone, and the meat around these soft bones pack the most flavour. Chinatown BBQ does not roast the entire pork. They only roast the best part to retain consistency. My favorite part of roasted pork is the white meat next to the fat. Look at the picture and you can see the ratio of these tender meats. The fat is minimal so this roasted pork doesn’t feel too greasy. The most important part of roasted pork is of course the crispy skin. These skin bursts into a flower-like structure on the exterior, making them extra crispy.
Chinese Sausage (Lap Chong) is packed with flavour
These Lap Chongs are small Chinese Sausages packed with complex flavour. It is mostly salty, but with a hint of sweetness. The structure is dense without fillers. Lots of lean meat and not much fat. This goes very well with a bowl of white rice.
BBQ duck is very well done
I am in a love-hate relationship with Chinese BBQ ducks. Most places I order these ducks from serving their ducks either having a too thick layer of duck fat, or skin on bones. Chinatown BBQ’s BBQ ducks are very well made. There is a very thin layer of duck fat between skin and meat. The entire duck is meaty and juicy. Best of all, my half BBQ duck was served with 2 duck legs. This is really awesome and well worth the $16.50 cost.
604 Food Critic Assessment
Chinatown BBQ is by far the best Chinese BBQ place I have tried, and yes, even better than the HK BBQ Master in Richmond. They use the perfect cuts to make the roast pork, and their duck have just the right meatiness without being too fat. Combined with the right process in cooking, Chinatown BBQ creates the most authentic, and pleasant experience of having Chinese BBQ. We recommend everyone to try Chinatown BBQ’s roast pork.
Menu
How to get in touch
- Phone: (604) 428-2626
- Address: 130 E Pender St, Vancouver
- Hours: 11:00 AM to 6:30 PM Tuesday to Sunday, Closed on Monday
- Website: chinatownbbq.com