Cheung Sing BBQ House at Maroubra

Cheung Sing BBQ House was one of the further stops out on my Anzac Parade Eating tour, in that it was in Maroubra and just one suburb away from most of the places we'd eaten at. Before dining here tonight, of course I did my research and googled it to see what dishes would be most popular. What I was surprised to find was a SMH review made only weeks prior about it describing it in most postitive terms. Not quite a Hong Kong BBQ house, it has touches of Vietnam in the food too with Pho and vermicelli rice noodle salads. In her review Helen Greenwood, the woman with the job that every foodie wants, says "Cheung Sing is good. Sometimes a little like globalisation gone rampant, but honest - not tourist." and then comments that the quality of the food is commensurate with the many asian faces seen in the restaurant. What a difference one review makes. Tonight, it's full and contrary to her finding, everyone isn't asian, in fact it is about 99% caucasian. Truly a testament to the power of a good review in the SMH. I can only guess that they're devoted SMH readers and foodies turned onto this brightly lit not so little suburban BBQ house.

I'm embarrassed to say that I've studied the menu already (I wonder if I am the only one that does that?) and whilst I had an idea what I wanted, I spy a fabulously large plate of meat being brought to the man at the table next to us. As I am blind without my contacts I ask my husband what is under the pile of roast duck. He whispers back "I think it's pork!" to which I think he must be crazy as that would be an enormous pile of meat. I am so intrigued I ask the gentleman next to us and he explains that it's a special order, not on the menu, a serve of BBQ Pork and Duck "It's excellent and only about $15.80" he grins broadly, knowing full well that he has the best meal in the house.

I umm and ahhh over this, whether to get one of those plates with some rice and greens but the greedy food blogger inside me wins and I opt for a selection of dishes. We order the curry puffs $4 for 4, Mixed BBQ grill with noodle soup $9 (we choose BBQ Pork and Roast Duck) and a Lemongrass chicken with tomato rice $9. The woman serving looks to be the owner and she is very friendly.

Our curry puffs come out first, the filling very hot but the outer less so. It is filled with mince beef, potato and vegetables and it good in the way that only deep fried pastry stuffed with mince can be. Damn the healthy eating regime for these! Oh and I've also managed to topple over my small melamine bowl several times with the heavy silver spoon.

Soon after the small oval plate of BBQ meat arrives, with 4 pieces of the Roast Duck resting atop the BBQ Pork. A large bowl of egg noodles with chinese greens topped with fried onions accompanies this. I often complain about the soup at places, in that it is too mild but this is great, just the correct saltiness and flavour for me. Before you know it I've slurped most of the soup.

The accompanying BBQ pork is lovely, nice and fatty (I don't like the lean cuts) but the piece de resistance is the Roast Duck, so soft and tender with the strong aroma of star anise. As I am eating my share I keep declaring "We MUST get more, we MUST!".

The large square plate of stir fried Lemongrass chicken arrives on top a pile of tomato rice. The chicken is very strong in Lemongrass and ginger which pleases my husband to no end. He is definitely in raptures over this dish which I also like. The tomato rice is a bit of a miss and whilst I adored the tomato rice at Dong Dong Noodles, I can easily leave this behind.

We look up and realise that the front area of the restaurant is packed-with eager wannabe diners and those taking away to eat in the comfort of their own home.

Cheung Sing BBQ House

695 Anzac Parade Maroubra NSW 2035

Tel: +61 (02) 9349 3362

Open 6 days (Closed Mondays)

Tuesday-Wednesday & Sunday 11am-9pm

Thursday-Saturday 11am-10pm