Haikou City has many outdoor BBQ stalls. If your looking for Western standard comfort and cleanliness these places may not be for you: the outdoor BBQ stalls are usually little more than a few plastic tables and chairs put out on the street. However, I consider these to be one of the charms of Haikou city. The stalls do not exist in the day time, but wait until the sun sets and the temperature drops and at around 9 o'clock in the evening certain streets will come alive with BBQ sights and smells.
To order food, look at what is on display and choose what you want. The method works even if your Chinese is limited. Here are some of my favourite Haikou BBQ dishes:
- BBQ fish served with fresh small limes. 5 RMB. (Mackerel pike fish, also known as Pacific saury, Chinese: 秋刀魚 Qiū dāoyú)
- Whole sweetcorn. 3 RMB
- Dried squid with wasabe and soy sauce. 10 RMB
- BBQ'ed oysters with garlic. 10 RMB for a tray of 10
- Chicken wings. 3 RMB
- Local beer
The street BBQs are popular with local people and form part of the Haikou nightlife. Many locals drink beer and eat BBQ at these stalls until early morning. Some of the stalls are still open at 4am. It is normal to go eat at a BBQ after leaving a nightclub late at night before going home to sleep.
Where?
There are many BBQ stalls within walking distance of Haikou Banana Hostel. Try the corner of San Dong Lu and Hai Da Lu, or Er Dong Lu.
Here is a picture of the Muslim BBQ on Haidian Island, it is on the corner of Haida Road and Erdong Road.
