Gary arrived at the party with a Donald Duck around his neck. It was one of our ‘famous’ fancy dress parties, after hours, on the coast, and this theme was Chinese New Year. I looked at the soft toy of Donald, swinging around Gary’s neck, and wondered, ‘What has that got to do with Chinese New year?’
But of course, I should have known, this was Gary and on closer inspection, the toy had little framed glasses that were sporting masking tape across half of each lens. Ha! “Peeking Duck”! And so it began, as the party got going, and wilder, as it did in those days.
I love Peking duck. Do you? I love its melt in the mouth tasty meat under a crisp, burnished layer of skin. And there’s only one restaurant in Hobart that actually has the ducks hanging in the window, and that’s Chinese Tasty BBQ in Sandy Bay, where Written on Tea used to be.
Inside Tasty BBQ
My Chinese friend Louis had recommended this place to me as for him, it’s got the best and most authentic Chinese food in Hobart. And he would know. He loves to cook, comes from Nanchang in the south-east, and has travelled widely.
This time I let him order for me, as the waiters seem to know him and delight in chatting in Mandarin, sharing their recommendations. Louis tells me there are 3 owners from Hong Kong, and they have 3 chefs in the kitchen, all ex-Flower Drum luminaries. Now I’ve been to the Flower Drum in Melbourne several times, and it was always spectacular, so my hopes are high.
Chinese Broccoli
We started with the ubiquitous San Choi Bao, or lettuce leaf wrapped around a delicious mix of pork and sprouts and good things in one tasty, healthy parcel. $6.80, perfect. Then arrives a large plate of “Chinese broccoli”, at $18.80, which was more like choi sum with lashings of soy, sesame, garlic and salt, but fresh and tasty all the same.
We shared a Mixed Roast Platter $26.80, which had a serve of their spectacular Peking Duck, Macao style crispy roast pork, and a light, vinegary sweet dip for the meats. Simple perfection.
Ducks peeking out
The menu here, like most Chinese restaurants, always seems to me to be impossibly large, but somehow these guys turn the food out fast. I guess it’s that long experience of the wok, and 3 chefs who could probably do this food with their eyes shut. It’s traditional, and stays that way.
For me, the deep fried ice cream is a must visit, so we pin the ears back and dive in. The ice-cream itself is terrific, but we both decide the strawberry syrup that’s been thrown on top was cheesy. Such a disappointment after the perfection of the other dishes, and fresh strawberries in a little coulis isn’t hard.
Deep Fried Ice Cream
Chinese Tasty BBQ is a welcome addition to the food scene in Hobart, and if you want really authentic, reasonably priced Chinese food, look no further. Just be warned about the ice cream. Never gild a lily.
Chrissie
Ahhh, well maybe a revisit is in order. Mine was only a little while.
My experience was at least a year ago ?
Hi Celia, thanks for that feedback too, if tardy! They’re definitely on the radar for a revisit, this time without said Chinese friend. Trouble is, so many new places have opened up, it’s hard to keep track! I need 8 days in the week! But when I do get there, will definitely update the review or add a new one if what I find is your experience.
I also had a terrible food experience here and won’t be going back. Also the restaurant itself is really grubby. It’s such a shame. I’ve been to grubby Chinese restaurants in Sydney before but at least the food was awesome ?
Hey Kaz,
Wow! Thanks for the feedback! It does make me wonder if we got special treatment being with a Chinese national, but then they couldn’t deliver all good food and all bad if that’s the case – too much prep involved. So I’m thinking that coupled with the huge menu and the long hours they’re open, unless they’re really on the ball, consistency would be an issue. Yes, I love Chinese BBQ as well, but honestly, our food was terrific, so I will have to dive back in there, and if my experience is again what yours is, then I’ll update the review.
I went there a month or two ago, having had a craving for Chinese BBQ. I’ve missed it since moving to Hobart. I’ve eaten a lot of Chinese BBQ over the years and usually really love it!
Unfortunately, my experience was very different to yours. My BBQ duck was limp and greasy. The roast pork was burned on top and lacking in any of the melt in the mouth tenderness that I’m used to from Chinese roast pork cooked well. The rice was awful, very gluggy. The small side of wombok that came with the meat was cold, limp and flavorless as though it had been boiled and left out for some time.
Overall, it was easily the worst Chinese BBQ I’ve ever eaten, the worst rice and the worst cooked wombok.
I miss the cheap and cheerful BBQs from my time in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore. I was so wanting to love this place, but loathed the food instead. I left hungry because going hungry was more appealing. The service was friendly but that just can’t make up for the food.
I truly hope I just caught them on a bad night but I’m honestly not game to go back to find out. It was head and shoulders the worst meal I’ve had out in the last decade. It even eclipses the time I found gravel in my bread.