BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) Tasting Session

BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) Tasting Session
103 Geylang Road

21 Tan Quee Lan Street

262 South Bridge Road

Opening Hours:
Daily: 2pm - 2am


https://www.facebook.com/pages/串烧工坊-BBQ-Box/204058972959985

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from HungryGoWhere, Epicurious Caniggia, and Madame Chewy.

Special Seafood Combo (SGD $88.80 / $168.80)

Tasty, Ready-To-Eat Chinese Skewers For All !

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 6
Service: 7
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $35 per person.


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BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) is a Northen Chinese cuisine restaurant, specialising in barbecue / grilled skewers. Their first outlet was established in 2007 in the Geylang area, followed quickly by their second outlet in the Bugis area, which opened in 2008. With a strategy to cater to the masses, BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) commonly draws in crowds even on weekdays, and is fully packed on weekends. Their success has led them to open a third outet in the Chinatown area in 2015.

BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) Signage

BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) Entrance

Ambience at BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) is part of their appeal. Unlike other places, the staff actually help you barbecue / grill the skewers in the kitchen, and serve it to you ready-to-eat. This means that the place smells clean and fresh, you don't walk away with food odors on your clothing. The spacious, brightly lit area is also kept clean and neat, and the modern furniture is relatively comfortable. Tables are nicely sized, with a warmer in the centre to keep the skewers hot, which I felt is a good idea.

BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) Exterior

BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) Interior

Artwork

Artwork

Service at BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) is decent, of passable standards. Each table is equipped with a call button, and staff usually show up quickly. They converse mostly in Chinese Mandarin, but are competent in English as well. Orders usually take about 10 minutes or so to fulfill, rather quick despite the crowd. I note that staff are also efficient are clearing away empty / dirty tables when guests leave, though you'll usually have to call them if you want to change your plates mid-way through your meal. Expect a queue of about 20 minutes during peak dining periods, advance reservations are recommended.

Seating

Seating

Seating

Food at BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) is focused on North Chinese cuisine, particularly read-to-eat skewers barbecued / grilled to order. To cater to the masses, the recipes use a lot less salt and chili, making it palatable for most people. For the China Chinese, they can still order the 'traditional' taste, which is intensely salty and super spicy. Generally, I find the toned down version (using less salt and chili) to be tasty enough with a slight hit of spices, and at least I don't walk away feeling thirsty or uncomfortable. Flavours are bold, largely due to a house made spice marinade on the food. Communal dining is highly encouraged. Prices are comparable to other restaurants in the area, budget about SGD $35 per person for a full meal here.

Menu Food

Menu Drinks (Non-Alcoholic)

Menu Drinks (Alcoholic)

Observed the China Chinese eating this raw Garlic Cloves, dipping them into a sauce of vinegar, light soy sauce, and chili. Our fellow diner tried this combination, it's incredibly strong and off-putting, but gradually grows on you. Acquired taste, I personally can't get around the intense pungent salty sour bitter spicy combination of flavours.

Garlic Cloves

The Beer Lao Te (SGD $5) is a pale lager, brewed by Qingdao Laote Beer in Qingdao city, in the Shandong province of China. It has a pale yellow colour, with faint aromas of corn, lemon, metal, and syrup. Body is thin, light, and watery, with a medium carbonation. Tastes faintly of grains, malt, minerals, and detergent, with an abrupt blank finish. Must be served cold, as it's bland and tasteless otherwise. Personally, I didn't like this.

Beer Lao Te (SGD $5)

The Grilled Oysters (SGD $18.80) are plump, juicy, and delicious. Fresh and meaty, with a delicate briny salty sweet flavour, the oysters are garnished with a house chili paste, giving it a slight kick. Good!

Grilled Oysters (SGD $18.80)

Grilled Oysters

The Tofu Skin Noodles (SGD $7) feature chewy, bouncy noodles made from tofu beancurd skin, and is served chilled. Garnished with carrots and parsely, this savoury dish has a slight hit of spice from the chili.

Tofu Skin Noodles (SGD $7)

The kitchen does all the cooking, and serves the skewers ready-to-eat. Placed on the warmer in the center of your table, helping it stay hot till you tuck into them. When piled high, it looks absolutely inviting! There is a good variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables here, with over 40 different barbecue / grill skewers to choose from. Do note that prices for each skewer is ala-carte, charged is per skewer unless otherwise stated on the menu. Each skewer portion size is for an individual.

Grilled Skewers On Warmer

Of those we tried, my personal favourites would be the Squid Tentacles (SGD $5.80), Cajun Roasted Chicken Mid-Wings (SGD $2.20), Pleurotus Eryngii / King Oyster Mushroom (SGD $1.50), and Shishamo / Smelt Fish (SGD $3.20 for 3 pieces).

The other skewers were executed decently, including the Prawn (SGD $1.60), Cajun Roasted Chicken Mid-Wings (SGD $2.20), Mutton Leg Meat (SGD $1), Beef Tendon (SGD $1.20), Chicken Mid-Wings (SGD $2.20), Romaine Lettuce (SGD $1.30), and Pork Sausage (SGD $1.60). The Corn (SGD $1.60) was a disappointing skewer choice, rather dry in texture.

Grilled Skewers - Squid Tentacles (SGD $5.80), Prawn (SGD $1.60), Mutton Leg Meat (SGD $1), Beef Tendon (SGD $1.20), Chicken Mid-Wings (SGD $2.20), Pleurotus Eryngii / King Oyster Mushroom (SGD $1.50), Romaine Lettuce (SGD $1.30), Corn (SGD $1.60), Shishamo / Smelt Fish (SGD $3.20 for 3 pieces), Pork Sausage (SGD $1.60)

Grilled Skewers - Squid Tentacles, Prawn, Cajun Roasted Chicken Mid-Wings, Mutton Leg Meat, Beef Tendon, Chicken Mid-Wings, Pleurotus Eryngii / King Oyster Mushroom, Romaine Lettuce, Corn, Shishamo / Smelt Fish, Pork Sausage

The single most memorable, outstanding item on the menu is the Grilled Bread (SGD $1) skewer. Surprising, but absolutely delicious, we ordered 3 rounds of it! Essentially just a simple butter sugar toast, a piece of white bread spread with a thick layer of butter, and sprinkled with sugar, then grilled. This makes it take on a smoky, sweet savoury flavour, and a crisp texture. Addictive and unstoppable. Feel like recreating this for my next barbecue. Highly recommended!

Grilled Bread (SGD $1)

The Special Seafood Combo (SGD $88.80 / $168.80) is a large, communal hot pot of seafood, like a Chinese seafood boil. Filled with a mildly savoury salty spicy soup / broth, stacked with crunchy lotus roots, soft potatoes, smoky quail eggs, spring onions, and a host of fresh shell-on seafood. This includes scampi / langoustine, mussels, prawns, scallops, and crabs. Fun and satisfiying communal dining experience, the small size is best shared between at least 6 people or more.

Special Seafood Combo (SGD $88.80 / $168.80)

Special Seafood Combo

You can choose to add more soup / broth, as well as Cold Noodles (SGD $7) to the Special Seafood Combo when you're nearly done. The noodles are chewy, bouncy, and medium-thick, very filling after a meal. Decent enough.

Cold Noodles (SGD $7)

Overall, BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) is a decent choice if dining in large groups, and if you're craving for grilled meats and seafood. The clean, welcoming atmosphere, and the ease of ready-to-eat convenience are the key draws for BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang). Note that if you prefer the China traditional flavours, you'll have to request for it, as the dishes are mostly toned down to cater to the masses.


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Reserve a table now @ BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) - Geylang

Reserve a table now @ BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) - Bugis

Reserve a table now @ BBQ Box 串烧工坊 (Chuan Shao Gong Fang) - Chinatown

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