Kau Kau BBQ

[col klink]

I went to Kau Kau yesterday before the M's game and after hemming and hawing for a while (not knowing exactly what the procedure was), I orderd the roasted duck lunch special. Aaustin mentioned Kau Kau in the "Favorite Chinese Takeout Dish" thread so I gave her a whirl.

The duck skin was fabulous, though not exactly warm. There was a great crispy exterior and as soon as you bit into it, the duck fat just poured out. Wow. Unfortunately I didn't get much breast meat with my portion, it was about 1/3 breast meat and the rest had a lot of bones and stuff, I didn't recognize where the rest came from actually. Luckily the lunch special also came with some of the bbq pork. Believe it or not, I preferred the pork. Not only was it juicy, but it had the right amount of fat content and was wonderfully rendered. A very acidic sauce was presented as well and it did a good job of cutting through the rich meat.

Along with the duck and the pork was a decently sized portion of fried rice that was pretty boring. I spiced it up though with the bowl of chilis. My final verdict on Kau Kau is that I can't wait to go back! That and the owner really needs to shave his beard. When you see him, you'll know exactly what I mean. But how can I question a man who knows duck and pork so well? For that, he can do whatever he wants.

[col klink]

Oops, I forgot to mention the particulars, 6th and King in Seattle's International District.

[tsquare]

It's been years since I was there, but it wasn't for the squimish. Only place I've been with moving wallpaper. I know, there are pests in every restaurant, but this was the third, and worst, in my life to let the critters roam the dining room. I prefer some of the other bbq places where my lack of knowledge is a better appetite enticement.

[aaustin]

I really prefer the bbq pork to the duck also--by far! It's the best. I can eat a pound in one sitting no problem. As for the creepy-crawlies, I prefer to live in denial because I like that pork so much.....

[col klink]

Like I said above, anyone who knows his way around pork and duck like he does can basically get away with murder in my book.

For the record, I did not see any creepy crawlies (icky nature things) that weren't meant to be seen. I just feel bad for that fish in the window, it's about 2 1/2 feet long and just about as high in a 6 foot tank long tank. I don't think he can even turn around. I believe I read they got him from the children's hospital when he outgrew the tank. I can easily imagine they moved him to a smaller tank.

[Blue Heron]

When I go to Kau Kau, I buy both the duck and barbeque pork by the pound, and order the chicken lunch special to go. The lunch special is something like a quarter chicken w/ white rice & steamed broccoli & carrots and includes a small container of 5 spice (?) marinade/sauce, which I really like, and tastes great mixed in the rice.

I've never noticed any creepy crawlers in the place, but I have noticed the owner with the wispy chin beard thing. I just went to check the King County online health dept. site for any of their infractions, but it seems to not be working tonight.

There is another place in Chinatown that's also supposed to be quite good for duck & pork, but the name escapes me. Anybody know it? (I seem to think it is something like King?)

[MsRamsey]

Can anyone comment whether one can get BBQ duck or pork on which they do NOT use 5-spice powder?

[aaustin]

I can't say for certain--you'd have to call--but I really don't think the bbq pork has 5 spice...I don't particularly care for 5 spice, so I think I would've noticed.

[MsRamsey]

I can't say for certain--you'd have to call--but I really don't think the bbq pork has 5 spice...I don't particularly care for 5 spice, so I think I would've noticed.

I'm glad that you didn't notice, because if you don't like it, you probably would have. I *really* don't like 5-spice. I think calling them may be an exercise in futility, however.

[Blue Heron]

I can't say for certain--you'd have to call--but I really don't think the bbq pork has 5 spice...I don't particularly care for 5 spice, so I think I would've noticed.

I'm glad that you didn't notice, because if you don't like it, you probably would have. I *really* don't like 5-spice. I think calling them may be an exercise in futility, however.

Your right, I think a call would be futile. Even when I ask him in person what is in the sauce, I can't get an answer that I can understand.

I also seem to recall that the pork is roasted without 5 spice.

The barbequed duck has the mystery marinade that I am guessing has 5 spice.

I've also noticed that 5 spice in general can vary in taste. Some I like, and some I don't. Has anyone else noticed this? Maybe it's the amount of each spice that is used or varied in amount?

[col klink]

I went back to Kau Kau on Thursday before the last M's home game of the season (boo Oakland and Anaheim!). Needless to say, I ordered the roast duck again and boy was I dissapointed. I hardly got ANY MEAT AT ALL for my duck. No less than 2/3 of my duck remained on my plate. At least my buddy got a drumstick. Granted the skin was still good, but who orders duck back? No one!

Anyways, probably the best thing to do is order roast duck by the pound, I haven't done this, but if you order a whole duck, I'm sure it's nothing less than phenominal.

Of course the pork that went with it was just stellar. Next time, I'm going for all pork if I order the lunch special. At only $4.95, the lunch special can be a great deal.

[Blue Heron]

Over the years I've been hearing/reading rave reviews for King St. Barbeque Chinese take out in the International District, so when I happened upon it tonight (6th and King, around the corner from Kau Kau), I stopped in to buy some barbeque pork and roast duck for a taste. Since one can only buy duck by the 1/2 or whole portion I scrapped that idea since I only wanted a taste. However, I was able to buy a 1/2 lb of their barbeque pork. Although quite flavorful (5 spice flavor), it was on the dry side. I think I still like Kau Kau's better. It's been quite awhile since I've had Kau Kau's though. I'm way over due for a visit there.

[sequim]

This is an update on Kau Kau's as I just got back from lunch there. My friend and I had the lunch special for $4.99. I'd never been here before but had been reading this thread and expected a hole in the wall, dirty place with good food.

Well we were pleasantly surprised. Maybe it's changed from 2 years ago, but it was cleaner than alot of places I've been to in the ID, wasn't smoky or greasy, and I saw no critters or the hairy guy.

The lunch special comes with soup, steamed veggies (unfortunately overcooked), fried rice, bbq pork and then a choice of one other meat. I chose the roast duck. The soup was a bit underflavored with bits of tofu and straw mushrooms but not too bad. I thought the fried rice was really good. It had lots of bits of bbq pork, shoots and other things in it.

The bbq pork itself is wonderful and doesn't have 5-spice which I don't care for either, at least not in any strong amount. It was thinly sliced, juicy with nice chewy bits. The duck was good but not as good as the pork. True, the fat had not been rendered enough but I just stripped the chewy stuff off and ate it with the wonderful marinade, and left the fat. I also tried one of my friend's bbq pork ribs - it did have 5-spice but it wasn't that strongly flavored with it - unlike King's pork. Unfortunately the bits of rib didn't have much meat on them.

I have to agree I think Kau Kau's bbq pork does beat King's.

Afterwards we went for dessert at The Cake House bakery. Their fruit tart for $1.40 was delicious and covered in fruit.

[girl chow]

The restaurant isn't all that dirty, but it's not all that clean either. It's never been nasty enough to scare me away from that fantastic bbq pork though.

I've always thought the ribs weren't up to par. I think everything they serve pales in comparison to the juicy bbq pork though.

[sequim]

Well I always assume restaurants in the ID are going to be alittle rough around the edges but when someone mentioned the wallpaper moving, I almost had second thoughts about going. I've lived in Chicago and do not want to see roaches again! So I just wanted to help counteract comments that might put someone off about going.

[girl chow]

Well I always assume restaurants in the ID are going to be alittle rough around the edges

Oh yes, egads, the things you see in the ID (or any hole-in-the-wall grubby place). One summer afternoon, Mr. Girl Chow and I were walking down just off of Sixth and Jackson and we saw this guy selling fried chicken wings out of a cardboard box. The box was just sitting out in the sun, bugs flying all around. I couldn't believe people were buying chicken from that guy, but I guess they were *only* a quarter each! Bargain! Argh. We walked by him a few hours later and he was *still* there with his nasty box of chicken. Scary as hell. Compared to that scary dude and his box of chicken, Kau Kau is a pristine dining experience.

[trillium]

I always argue that in places like this (and taco trucks) you just see the icky-ookies out in the open. In fancier places they just do a good job of keeping the nasties out of site. That's what I tell myself, because I refuse to stop eating tacos de lengua out of trucks. That and it's good training for my immune system for when I'm eating some other country's cooties.

regards,

trillium