Remember when a certain someone and I tried capybara dumplings? (Farmed ofc; you can find the review… Somewhere down there in my Insta.) I said I’d do a proper review of the actual place we were at, but because my old photos have disappeared into the depths of my phone, we’ll just have to settle with the haphazard spread of my latest visit instead for today’s intro post. Yay!

First things first: What is a 串烧 (chuan shao)? Take a close look at the 1st character — see how it’s made of 2 rectangles stacked atop a vertical line? That visual metaphor is literally it: It’s chinese-styled skewers (typically cooked in spicy broth or dusted with chilli powder)! And shao refers to cooking said skewers over a fire — like in a bbq!

When I first visited BBQ Box, I was most struck by how similar the place was to my memories of meals in China. The entire atmosphere and vibe were analogous to my memories — they did a great job of transplanting a taste (heh) of China into my neighbourhood. (Finished with a gundam-esque rip-off welcoming you at the door; perfection!)

And just like other Sichuan-derived eateries that serve similar fare in the Mainland, the menu is huge. In spite of its name, BBQ skewers are just a fraction of its offerings: You can find everything from noodles, to dumplings, to cold dishes, to skewers of all kinds (meat, seafood, carbs, veg — the entire works, really), and even Japanese dishes! (I wholeheartedly believe this is why Mikawa next door can’t seem to do a full-house.)

This totally-not-CB, if you’re curious to try some good ol’串串 and its complements from BBQ Box (takeaway/delivery), let me give you a sampler list of what you should get:

Lamb w/ Red Switch (Basically premium lamb) > all other meat skewers ($3.80)
Japanese Grilled Unagi (well worth) ($5.80)
Grilled shrooms (the abalone shroom/pleurotus eryngil is my fav) ($1.50)
Grilled Mantou Slice or 2 pc Grilled Japanese Rice Balls (for real) ($1.20 or $5.60)
Sichuan Tasty Lotus Root (best. thing. EVER.) ($5.80)
Spicy Dry Soya Bean Cake Floss (great palate cleanser) ($7.80)

(All prices are per serving/skewer.)

Oh, and everything is customisable too!

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