Yanbian BBQ explores grilled meats in Northern Chinese cuisine

By the time the fourth order of meat dropped on the table in front of me, crispy, darkened, cumin-scented skewers, I knew Yanbian BBQ would make any meat lover’s list.

That’s not to say the little Korean and Chinese BBQ joint, tucked into a small building one block from Lansdowne Station at 8291 Ackroyd Rd. #150, doesn’t serve vegetables. But it’s like going to a roadside BBQ joint in rural Texas and asking about their carrots.

Every culture has its BBQ. Regionality plays a huge role. Kansas City BBQ is sticky sweet, Memphis smokey, North Carolina has their whole hog. When you get past the idea of BBQ as a singular thing, what you discover is food ebbs and flows, each region imparting something different to it.

China is no different. In Xinjiang, you’ll find lamb skewers, in Guangdong, char siu. Shaokao, which can be found in most Chinese cities, are grilled BBQ meats, usually skewered and served at night markets.

Yanbian, the place the restaurant is named after, is located in Northern China, sitting right on top of the border with North Korea. Dubbed the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province, it’s made up of a large minority of Koreans, once again proving my theory that the most interesting foods are border-adjacent.

Founded by Alex and his mother Emma in 2023, theirs is a story common throughout Metro Vancouver, of a family immigrating to Canada to seek a new life. In this case, according to their website, their restaurant back in China was in multiple cities, proving popular with locals.

If there’s one thing I’ve discovered in my food journies through Richmond, it’s that roving groups of teens, or any group of young-ish scamps, know the best spots in town. So it was at Yanbian BBQ, full of bespectacled university kids, friends meeting up and even a few dates.

Focused on Dongbei cuisine, the menu is both expansive and simple. The skewer and grill section boasts 30+ options, from the mundane beef, to chicken hearts, to the not-for-the-faint-of-heart pork intestine and chicken gizzards. There are a few vegetarian options as well, like Chinese leek, corn and dried tofu.

I ordered the lamb ($2), Chinese leek ($7), beef ($2), wings ($3.69) and chicken hearts ($2.25). Many require ordering two to four skewers together, so come with a friend, a mistake I won’t make again.

The skewers come when they are ready, a handful dropped onto a slightly heated metal grill. Most are flavoured with a mixture of cumin and some sort of spice. It’s not hot, more of a pleasant surprise, though I was still reaching for water. Specks of cumin dotted the meat, imparting a sharp flavour that mingled nicely with the spice.

The lamb was a little more dry than I prefer. But the beef’s crispy bits and fat were charred well, the house special wings were a delight, with a tangy flavour similar to the others. No overcooked pub wings here.

But it was the chicken hearts that stood out. It’s a shame we North Americans are only interested in wings, breasts and thighs. It’s the smaller, less popular parts that impart flavour and texture. Each heart was softer than the chicken meat but also, ironically, had a nice bite, a texture that, in my mind, is superior to any flavourless breast. It was as good as the yakitori I had in Japan.

Not to forget my vegetarian readers, the Chinese leek was delightful, with a slightly sweet sauce and seasoning that mingled with the crunchy, sweetened leeks. It’s a must-order even if you came for the meat.

Korean dishes have their place on the menu, with cheese corn ($10), seafood pancakes ($17), kimchi ($7) in both normal and radish, and kimchi tofu soup ($16).

Don’t be surprised when you see fried sauerkraut on the menu. No, this isn’t a German influence, but from the Mongols, who brought the method of preservation to Europe during their conquests. It’s a major part of the cuisine in Northeastern Chinese cuisine.

The drink menu is extensive for a place so small. You can, of course, get classics like Tsingtao and Asahi, but there’s also plum wine and soju, and to my delight, local favourite Vanmak rice wine. A $15 corkage fee isn’t too bad either.

Yanbian BBQ might not be on many people’s radar in Vancouver, but judging by the steady stream of people and orders, it’s a hit in Richmond. Those curious about exploring different Chinese regional cuisine, and love a good skewer of meat, should head down for a visit.