Those who work in the city would no doubt have seen that Hachi Yakiniku has recently relocated out of Fudo Dori, literally to the shop next door which is far larger (thank goodness). In the now empty store on the Charlotte St end of Fudo Dori though, is the newly opened Hong Kong BBQ. I believe it opened at the end of January, but wanted to leave it for a little bit before trying, after hearing some very mixed reviews. Anyway, last week, Brisvegustation and I bit the bullet and we tried it out for lunch.
Arriving just before 12, there were a number of tables in the fairly small restaurant, but just at midday, the crowds came and I was very glad to have secured a seat. It was surprising how many people came, with the vast majority ordering take away. There wasn't any air conditioning on the day and I was glad to have been seated near a fan, in a spot where I was able to appreciate the hanging meats awaiting to be eaten.
The menu was fairly standard for HK BBQ. It largely centered on the four varieties of BBQ meats, with rice, dry or soup noodles or laksa. There were also some daily specials as well. We ordered at the counter and were given a buzzer.
Our food took 5 minutes to be served. This made sense as all the meats were already pre cooked and all it took was for the kitchen to assemble the meal and plate it. Brisvegustation ordered the combo rice to try all of the proteins. The portion appeared fairly good with a decent ratio of meat to rice with the bonus of veggies and half a salted egg (as well as the addition of some fluff attached to a piece of BBQ pork).
I had the 2 choice BBQ with noodles soup. Opting for the roast duck and crispy skin pork, the portions were fairly good. The meat though was surprisingly cold, being both served at or below room temperature, which was disappointing. The pork had a crunchy, albeit hard skin and wasnt too fatty, while the duck was not too crispy and neither protein was particularly well marinated, it is also noteworthy that my meal didn't come with any dipping sauces for my meat either. The noodles were also a let down. I could see they were overcooked and soggy the moment it was set down, without even having to have my first bite given how expanded they had become. Only the buk choy was largely faultless.
Overall, there were a lot of faults to my meal, having said that, I do think there is scope for improvement. I wouldn't come back for dine in anytime soon, but the prices at Hong Kong BBQ are comparable to those in Sunnybank, especially for takeaway prices. If I was not in the mood to cook, I could definitely see this as an option for a quick and easy dinner, especially when I can ensure that the meat is at least reheated.
Price Range: $15 - $25pp
Taste: 5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Environment: 7/10
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