BBQ Box (Beauty World)

My only regret? Not coming here sooner. BBQ Box offers a huge variety of Chinese BBQ ingredients on skewers and pretty much most if not all of the dishes we tried were really good!

Here are some of my favourites:

Shisamo Grilled Fish ($3.80 for 3 sticks) - perfectly grilled till crispy, the Shisamo fishes were seasoned well and full of flavour. Addictive with beer!

Pork meat wrapped with enoki ($6.80 for 2 sticks) - the umami from the mushrooms and the meatiness from the pork meat, all finished up with a touch of lemon squeeze really got us ordering more!

Bean curd slices in chilli oil ($7.80) - although this was a side dish, the texture of the bean curd skin paired with the fragrance of the chilli oil made this addictive. Actually quite spicy though!

The meal was quite affordable and we ate so much and it was about $35 per pax including alcohol. Can't wait to be back again!

Skewers aren't great for your health nor your wallet but they sure are tasty! Had this popular 肉串 chain at 📍 beauty world, and was thoroughly satisfied by the salty, juicy meats. I particularly liked the pork on the thick red twigs (?) And the mushrooms!

Not a bad place to satisfy your cravings but slightly pricier than most skewer eateries!

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!

Casual bbq place where they serve skewers of food, and a candle lit grill to warm your food while you feast! Opens till 12mn - 2am depending on which outlet you visit, good supper spot! 🌙

Tried the following this visit:
Grilled Potato Chips
Grilled Romaine Lettuce
Grilled Fresh Sleeve Fish (Sotong)
Grilled Fresh Prawn
Grilled Pleurotus Eryngii (鲍菇)
Grilled Bread
Grilled Pork/Chicken Sausage
Grilled Pork
Orleans Chicken Wings

Noodles with Soybean Paste

Bubble Milk Tea

Items that really took the limelight were the Grill Sausage and Orleans Chicken Wings because its marination hits the spot, Grilled Fresh Sleeve Fish (Sotong) for its softness not chewiness and surprise surprise their Bubble Milk Tea for the balance between their tea taste, sweetness and pearls texture!

My fav here would be the mutton, chicken and pork’s neck❤️

Best place for skewers and a drinking night with friends 🤤