85 South, HK

 

 

BBQ ribs, pulled pork, chips and slaw.

Will this be the start of a new food fad in Hong Kong? This hole in the wall on Kau U Fong is really easy to miss. I’ve walked past it a few times and even on this intentional visit, we weren’t sure if they were even open. I eat meat and I eat BBQ but I’m unfamiliar with the nuances. And since I’m unfamiliar, my yardstick is what they promise to deliver.


“North Carolina BBQ is different from what you’ll find everywhere else. It is the only kind of barbecue in which the meat itself – rather than the smoke, the pepper or the sauce is the centerpiece. Our slaw is a traditional North Carolina BBQ slaw that is unlike any other coleslaw you’ve ever had before. Ours is tomato based with a sweet yet tangy flavor that really compliments the smoky flavor of the pork.”

We had the big boi plate which came with a little of everything – ribs, pulled pork, chips and slaw.



So let’s put the meats forward - the ribs were tender off the bone but spiced rubbed rubs was a tad too aggressively salted and the pulled pork was a little on the dry side but douse it with a bit of sauce or as recommended with the coleslaw and it is good to go. Other meat plates offered were rib plates and also pulled pork sandwiches that judging from mixing the pulled pork and coleslaw on my own plate would be a good sandwich. And finally, as promised, the coleslaw was like nothing I had before and I like their version of it. Out with the mayonnaise and in with the tomato and tang, this was my favourite thing on the plate.

85 South
6-10 Kau U Fong

cookout.

If the akins diet needs an endorsement, perhaps we could be their pin-up models. We had a little gourmet meat marathon on the grill. Lamb chops, tenderloin slices, duck breast, prawns, squid, the meaty Portobello mushroom and scallops. I can’t decide what was best. I just know, once we started, we just didn’t stop till we polished the plates. Perhaps we should start a poll to vote for your favourite piece off the BBQ.

My best experiment: the prawn marinate that everyone seemed to like. Try this for the next BBQ you have.



1 cup Olive Oil
½ cup Dijon mustard (I mixed whole grain mustard in as well)
1 tablespoon lemon
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon of garlic

BBQing the duck took some trial and error to get it right though. It was marinated with honey and orange rind, but because of the honey, the skin just turned to a charcoal black just a minute after hitting the grill. So we sliced it thin, but that didn’t help either because it got too tough, so the final solution: slice it not to thin, not too thick, so that won’t burn so much and the meat is still tender enough. The residual duck fat that was left on the grill was a great additional flavour for the food too.

All in all, we had great food and some corona to wash it all down, so it was all good. We the akin converts, we love meat.