BBQ King

When in doubt, order two ducks. That's pretty much a good life rule really, but especially when you're rolling four pals deep at the newly re-jigged BBQ King.

The keen observer may care to note the original spot, home to some pretty decent crisp-skinned duck and some famously bad behaviour by late-night soaks over the years (there, friends, history must draw its thin and potentially embarrassing veil) is no more. Nope, it's moved, occupying a prime position in what Sydney refers to as its "Spanish Quarter". (How do two Spanish restaurants and a club make a whole quarter? Mysterious.) 

And it's busy. Really busy.

One thing you can take away from a legacy of serving tables of well-sauced office workers is that staff here know how to deliver beers quickly and tell you exactly what you want to order. Even to the point of dishes you didn't even know you wanted turning up at the table, such as shreds of beef in "tangy sauce", fried until it's like a sort of chewy Chinese jerky.

"Where did this come from?" someone at the table asks across the lazy susan.

"I have no idea," is the vague reply, "but we're keeping it."     

But aside from the odd rogue dish, chances are you're probably here to demolish some duck.

Is it the best in Sydney? Not quite. That crown probably remains with Good Luck Chinese Restaurant in Enfield, or even Emperor Garden/Golden Century over in Chinatown.

But there's definitely an argument to be made for BBQ King. Here, they serve up both thin skin and meatier pieces of duck, the burnished exterior almost maple syrup-y in colour. Could the accompanying pancakes be a little thinner and more supple? Most definitely. But few places in Sydney also serve their duck pancakes with a little bouquet of green onion and cucumber bound with thin ribbons of chilli.

Second course-wise, they'll do you the traditional duck-bone soup – very healing if you can convince your table to order it over, say, fried noodles or sang choy bao. Both of which, I'm here to tell you, are well, good, fine and delicious – how can you go wrong with chopped duck meat mixed with water chestnuts and bits of puffed-up rice noodle sitting in a crisp lettuce cup?

You can't. Fact.

Try bullying your table into a medicinal broth over a plate of slippery and fried noodles mixed with fillets of duck and prepare for the inevitable abuse.  

Here's the thing. This is a brightly lit fantasy of roast meats you should only expose your close friends/relatives to. Or a very understanding date who's seen you in hospital with jaundice.

The romance is on the plate – definitely not in the atmosphere. But then, maybe therein lies the challenge.

Pro tip Be prepared and take a posse – this is food for four or more
Try this Own Friday night and order two ducks like a roast-meat-loving boss  
Like this? Good Luck Chinese Restaurant is so serious about its duck, you need to call and reserve a bird 75 minutes in advance, and if you're not there at the specified time, they're likely to give it to another table. 182 Liverpool Road, Enfield; 02 9747 4625