Best Food In China

Location

If you lust after meat – the thick, well done and smoky kind – then look no further than Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Q. Actually run by Tim, a Texas native, this is possibly as close to Texas as you’re going to get. From the rustic wood-panelled interior, to the stuffed deer heads hanging prominently on the walls, and the fuwuyuans with their cute Texan cowboy style shirts, this restaurant is a small American oasis from the busy consumerist Silk Street outside. "Saddle down" into one of their checkered tablecloth-covered booths and grab one of their imported beers, because you’re in for a “meaty” adventure. Then again, it wouldn’t be called a Bar-B-Q for nothing.

The meats on the menu have all been dry-rubbed with herbs and spices, then smoked whole (South Texas style) with apple and date wood for up to 12-16 hours (about 2-3 hours for chicken), resulting in a selection of slow-cooked, choice-cut meats infused with smoky flavours. Choose from beef (both ribs and brisket), pork, chicken and sausage. But if you can’t decide, then perhaps the "Round-Up", which features your choice of three meats, is the way to go. I chose the beef brisket, pork, and chicken, which all came piled high on top of each other it almost scared my usually non-meat desiring stomach. The beef brisket is thinly sliced and pinky-brown on the inside with a very thin dark-brown crisp outside. Slightly rubbery, it tastes better with the homemade BBQ sauce. Same goes for the chicken, which was pleasantly crispy on the outside but overall was too tough and dry. However, to really see the effort that the meats have gone through, the pork is a top choice. Here, the flavours really shine with a strong smoky flavour and a succulent taste that is really hard to define it can only be called “secret”. Big enough for two or three people, the plate also comes served with potato salad, coleslaw, and “chuck wagon” beans – a popular American dish of red kidney beans drenched in a sweet and tangy sauce.

Apart from the authentic Texas fare, there are also choices from the American State’s Mexican neighbours. The spicy corn chips (made with real corn!), guacamole, and tomato salsa is a quality snack choice. For the brave spice fans, the Stuffed Jalapenos with cream cheese are a winner. Deep-fried in a covering of breadcrumbs, and served with ranch dressing, the effect of the spicy jalapeno will literally ooze up your nose and into your brain! Finally, the Quesadilla is a less spicy but cheesier choice. Looking more like a pancake pizza sandwich rather than the traditional Mexican kind, the flour tortillas are filled with your choice of beef, chicken, or mushroom, then grilled until the cheese melts to a soft texture, and finally served as wedges garnished with tomatoes, jalapenos and a dollop of sour cream.

Dare I say this restaurant is rather “masculine”, with the many sports-themed decorations hanging off the walls, a dartboard, and the cable sports channels on the flat screen TVs (even Yao Ming ate here). Though if eating meat, drinking beer, and watching sports is your kind of style, then you’d fit right in here. Just come prepared with a huge appetite!

-by Shuk-Wah Chung

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