Chinatown's BBQ King to reopen soon

Chinatown icon BBQ King will reopen in the next fortnight just a block away from the Goulburn Street premises it mysteriously vacated last September. The home of crisp-skinnned duck, which opened in the early 1980s, will operate out of a three level property at 76-78 Liverpool Street. "Takeaway will be on street level, a VIP section on the mezzanine level and a more casual area in the basement," says Cecilia Chau, daughter of owners Agnes and Philip Chau.

VIP section and BBQ King aren't exactly terms you expect to find in the same sentence when talking about the down and funky original. But Chau promises they will celebrate the vibe of the old Goulburn Street store, while creating a smarter look in other parts of the heritage building. "It's kind of fusion," she says of the design approach. "The reason we left Goulburn Street is we just couldn't negotiate on rent any more. We had to move." By taking the site of the old Miro Tapas Bar, in the middle of the precinct traditionally better known for Spanish than Chinese food, the King will again plough new turf. "This strip has already changed a lot," she says.