Best Char Siu in Vancouver at HK BBQ Master
Posted on 01/11/2011
Address: #145 - 4651 No. 3 Road, Richmond
The best char siu and siu yuk in the Lower Mainland Vancouver, and anywhere else for that matter.
I have been to BBQ Master about eight or nine times before and each time I return I get an excited feeling like a little kid on the night before Christmas. Eagerly anticipating the tender morsels of addictively delicious bbq(char siu) and roast(siu yuk) pork, I have to calm myself down because I still have to park the car, which in the busy parking lot can cause some pressure if one is expecting empty stalls everywhere; not a chance what with Superstore and a cluster of ground-level retail shops.
After navigating the extremely busy parking lot (at eleven o'clock in the morning the only empty stall was at the far end of the lot), I took a stroll to a little piece of char siu heaven... (click on image for extra-large photo to read the menu and see prices). Speaking of menu and prices, $7.50 for two items on rice seems like a great value meal to me -- especially when you consider that for this price you are getting the absolute best-quality bbq and roast Chinese-style pork around. From my previous times eating here I seem to gravitate toward the pork over the duck or chicken, although I am aware that the bbq duck is good here as well.
Since opening in the year 2000, BBQ Master has displayed its delectable wares behind the front glass like every other Asian bbq vendor the world-over...
Like I said, 11:00 a.m. was the hour I arrived in order to have the eatery to myself as I interviewed chef Eric Leung. I wasn't even the first person to arrive and upon entering I noticed a Chinese businessman-looking type busily and happily munching away on first-class BBQ. The establishment is a rather smallish place with seating for around 18-20 persons. It is a sort of an indoor, Canadian version of the traditional Asian street-side eatery with a few small tables and chairs. Chef Eric keeps the friendly Asian-style environment alive as he walks the floor greeting customers and making people feel comfortable as they order and tuck into their prized pieces of pork.
Chef Eric wanted to take the place of one of his bbq choppers for my interview, and as he donned an apron and plucked pork from the heating chamber, I witnessed a living bbq legend preparing my lunch firsthand.
Speaking with Eric while I tasted the tantalizing delights of my 2 items on rice lunch (bbq and roast pork) he described how he started this business. The story is similar to most other entrepreneurs the world-over: too little pay and too little control while working for a boss. When he moved here in the late Nineties from Hong Kong to seek his fortune, he was already a bbq master as he had been working since age 17 starting out at world-renowned Yung Kee Restaurant and various other bbq houses in Kowloon.
I asked him why the bbq is better here than other places around town. In his affable way he described how many char siu sellers don't let all the fat drip out of the meat before selling it. The heavier meat, laden with more fat sells for a cheaper price than his, but its heavier weight ensures that the profits are larger. Chef Eric believes strongly in healthy and good eating. Therefore he lets his meat hang longer, slowly roasting and dripping fat until most of it is gone. This explains the dark burnt sections over the meat (that can be easily left asid while eating). His meat sells for a higher price than other establishments, but his product is both healthier and more delicious than the other bbq stalls. This focus on quality is obviously the source of his loyal following and the question patrons must often ask themselves is "when are they moving to larger building?".
First-class, world-class Chinese-style bbq and roast pork. In the photo, the roast pork (siu yuk) with the brown, crispy skin sits atop the bbq pork (char siu) with the reddish colour. I always order mine with "extra fat" in order to fully satisfy my craving for soft, tender meat dripping with expertly-prepared flavors. Put another way; I do not come here so much to 'fill my stomach' as to enjoy the eating experience itself. Of course, it goes without saying that I am always full after any 2 item plate.
Incidentally, this stuff is so good I wasn't interested to try char siu while in Hong Kong last year, knowing I could drop in on at a moment's notice :)
Long live HK BBQ Master!