(photos by leslie scurry and wm. christman)
The battle for barbecued and roasted goose and pork supremacy is tested every day in Hong Kong. Most are in the middle of the pack, some rise to the top, and almost none sink to the bottom. And if you think the middle of the pack is somehow slouching, forget it. The middle is 24K gold to the top of the heap's platinum. Either way, you'll end up with a valuable prize.
Here in California there are a large number of Chinese markets and most of them sell "barbecued" duck and pork. "Barbecued" is contrary to what Americans commonly know as barbecue, long strips of ribs and chunks of brisket slow cooked over smoke. While the meat in Chinese barbecue is roasted, it is also shellac'd (literally with a large paintbrush) with a soy/wine/sugar mixture that not only coats but seals in the succulent juices and imparts a sweet and savory taste. Major cities, Los Angeles, the SF Bay Area, and New York, may boast some pretty good renditions of these meats but going directly to the source, as usual, puts those to shame.
A co-worker (born and raised in Hong Kong) suggested Yung Kee, a famous roasted meat restaurant, for us to try. On my last business trip to Hong Kong, my manager and I opted for the friendly confines of the Yat Lok Barbecue in the oddly named New Territories area of Hong Kong. Once inside the Yung Kee restaurant the throw down commenced...
To make this a fair battle, we decided to order similarly at both restaurants: a plate of barbecued goose, a plate of barbecued pork and a seasonal vegetable dish, for caloric sanity. There were some extras thrown in according to our whim but the basics were the same.
The first impression of Yung Kee (32-40 Wellington Street, Central, HK (take MTR to Central station)) was one of Hong Kong dollar signs. There are three opulent floors and it looks like a perfect place for a wedding banquet or 20, all held at the same time - it's huge. Black and white clad wait staff, red mahogany wood with requisite carvings litter the outer reaches of the landscape, white linen covers the tables. The menu prices also reflected the upscale image of the restaurant.
Yat Lok (Tai Ming Lane, Tai Po, New Territories, HK (take MTR to Tai Po Market station)) is almost 180° opposite of Yung Kee. A relatively tiny shop with a window display of their meats, a narrow dining room with round communal tables with a few rectangular tables (also communal) off to the side. The waitstaff is minimal and the action furious and loud. Everything is geared for those who simply want to eat.
Yung Kee's goose was good although Les commented that it really didn't have a standout flavor: good but not great. The prune sauce didn't do much to lift the flavor. The pork on the other hand was succulent and flavorful with some nice crisp edges on the ends.
Yung Kee's goose, pork and choy sum (photos by leslie scurry and wm. christman)
The seasonal vegetable was choy sum (kind of like gai lan, Chinese broccoli) and was steamed with garlic and was decent. The real surprise was a small dish with pickled ginger and a 1000 year old egg, sliced in half. It was so good that we ordered another (the first one was brought out was sort of an amuse bouche). The total bill for the meal: HK$512 (about US$70 at the day's exchange rate).
Yung Kee's 1000 year old egg (photo by wm. christman)
Yat Lok's goose was miles more flavorful than Yung Kee's. Golden, reddish brown with snappy/crispy skin, the goose was dripping with juice and flavor. We ordered it on top of noodles and soup and that only enhanced the dish. The pork was also more flavorful than Yung Kee's with a deep reddish brown hue, a slightly sticky surface and moistness throughout. The ends were a sticky, chewy, crispy treat.
Yat Lok's goose, pork and choy sum (photos by leslie scurry and wm. christman)
The choy sum was steamed first then sauteed with a shower of fried garlic on top. This was outstanding with every piece of choy sum tender and juicy, the garlic playing off of the fresh flavors. We also ordered a plate of the roasted pork which had all of the features of the barbecued one except for the sweetness. The super crispy skin pushed this outstanding dish over the top. The total bill for the meal was HK$230 (about US$32 US).
Yat Lok's roasted pork with super crispy skin (photo by wm. christman)
The verdict? Yat Lok won by a country mile. Less than half the cost of Yung Kee (we also ordered a third meat and we opted for beer as well). But I would have still paid the cost of the Yung Kee meal for the quality and flavor of Yat Lok's barbecued meats. It was really that good.
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Yat Lok Barbecue, Po Wah House A, Tai Ming Lane, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Yung Kee Restaurant, 32-40 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
