Skewered Shaokao in Chicago

Haven’t been to Chicago in ten years, so it’s time to discover new food. A cuisine that originated from Northern China and gained popularity in Flushing is shaokao or Chinese BBQ. The barbecue skewers can be ordered chewy and spicy in Friend BBQ Chinatown.

When I think of BBQ, I’m thinking Char Siu Pork or Peking Duck. But this BBQ meat is not typically found in fancy restaurants in Hong Kong.

They’re predominantly sold as street food in food stalls, and once it landed in NYC, the cuisine has spread across the US to Bethesda, MD and of course Chicago Chinatown.

At Friend, you can order a wide selection of exotic meats such as frog legs and beef tripe, sweet and spicy or raw and dipped in a small hot pot. Service was excellent, but keep an eye on the number of skewers your order, or else the tab can get out of hand. Read more: Friend BBQ Chicago: