Sun Hing Meat Market - Best Roast Duck in Chinatown
386 8th St
Oakland, CA 94649
(510) 836-1819
Categories: Chinese, Ethnic Food, Meat Shops
Neighborhood: Oakland Chinatown
5 star rating
"Best Roast Duck in Chinatown" Continuously voted tops by local Chinese newspapers, Sun Hing is a grotty little hole in the wall with gleaming and lacquered roast duck (heads attached), whole roast pigs with cracktastic crackling, and slabs of red char siu (sweet glazed BBQ pork) hanging in the window. The roast duck here has skin so crisp and lite that you'll find other duck disappointingly greasy and pedestrian afterwards. The meat is tender and succulent, redolent with star anise forward five-spice flavor which coats the inner cavity. Ask for extra duck jus which they provide with the meat since this is an excellent source of umami (yummy goodness I could swim in). Another interesting option is the pei pa ap (plum sauce duck) which is butterflied flat and drier than the roast duck yet still tasty and succulent with plum tones.
If you're brave try the house cured sausages - lap cheung (pork, duck liver, chicken) which hang in pairs on butchers twine from a hook overhead - cut into small chunks and steamed with rice, delicious! On the sill lie trays of intriguing (potentially scary) spicy cooked tripe, duck's feet, red-cooked pork belly, soy sauce glazed squabs.
Ps my mom always orders a roast pig (including the head) for family get-togethers.
ps2 so popular you can tell where it is on 8th st by the double and triple parked cars.