Rose Square opposite the Changning Renaissance has been a haven for Japanese yakitori-yas and izakayas. These days, they faced a worthy local challenger that came prepared with local Shanghainese taste BBQ.
Liu’s Benbang BBQ 老刘本帮烧烤 opened in Rose Square in 2018. Prior to this gig Mr Liu was a technician in charge of milling machines in the Xinjiang Army Corps. After returning to Shanghai in 1998, he didn’t want to be idle, so with the support of his two daughters, he started a BBQ stand on the roadside.
Since 1998 every night at 9:30 pm, at the intersection of Fangxie Road and Daji Road in Shanghai, Mr Liu has never missed his appointment regardless of the wind and rain. Even on New Year’s Eve, the regulars will definitely see him. Then one day in 2018, he got the notice to stop selling on the streets.
It turned out that because they couldn’t bear to let the good taste of the roadside stall disappear, three fans paid for him to open a shop. So in 2019, the first store opened here in Rose Square in Changning.
In addition to the good (and rare) BBQ ingredients, the sweet sauce made by Mr Liu is his secret skill of dominating the BBQ world in Shanghai for 20 years. It took him two years to finally come up with his own unique flavour that catered to the local taste buds.
油炸臭豆腐 Deep Fried Stinky Tofu
This was not on the original menu, but the stinky tofu was not to be missed. The deep fried cubes of tofu were something nostalgic for me, a taste that I first acquired in Hong Kong. This style was similar and if you add the secret recipe sweet sauce from Mr Liu and their bean paste chilli sauce, it would taste like the Taiwanese ones too. I will return just for this.
雪花牛排（澳洲和牛）MBS7+ Steak (Australian Wagyu)
This luxe version of the beef skewer was OK in terms of the quality of the beef. But the seasoning and (again) Mr Liu’s sweet sauce saved the day.
Miscellaneous BBQ skewers
(L-R) 甜玉米 Sweet Corn | 炭烤羊肉串（羔羊肉）Lamb Kebab | 碳烤牛鞭（老刘三宝）Beef Penis | 鲜活基围虾 Grilled Prawn | 烤腰花 Grilled Pork Kidney | 炭烤小黄鱼 Grilled Yellow Croaker
And then the skewers came fast and furious, so fast you cannot eat them as quickly as they were served. Luckily you have the specially designed warmer to keep the skewers at the right temperature without further cooking them.
(L-R) 炭烤牛肋条（进口西冷）Grilled Sirloin | 爆款掌中宝 Grilled Chicken Palm | 秘制鸡中翅 Grilled Chick Mid-Joint | 烤牛脊髓 Grilled Bone Marrow | 烤黄喉 Grilled Throat | 鲜活基围虾 Grilled Prawn | 厚切牛舌 Grilled Beef Tongue | 炭烤小黄鱼 Grilled Yellow Croaker
炭烤肥羊腰（老刘三宝) Grilled Lamb Kidney
If you can stand the funky taste, this lamb kidney was foie gras-like in texture and sewage in taste. I am getting too old for these funky stuffs.
西葫芦 Grilled Zucchini | 厚切牛舌 Beef Tongue
The beef tongue has always been my favourite BBQ item, and they did not disappoint. The cut of the tongue was succulent and the sweet sauce again did its magic on the crunchy muscle.
蒜蓉粉丝烤带子 Scallop with Garlic and Vermicelli
This is not St Jacques from the Mediterranean, just farmed scallops from the nearby sea. But with more than one scallops per serving, this was quite generous both in terms of ingredients and condiments.
The old bicycle that Mr LIu used still stood at the Rose Square doorstep. If it weren’t for the changes of the times, he would probably still be there at his own store like most old-fashioned craftsmen, at peace with the familiarity. However, looking at the shops that shelter the diners from the wind and rain now, he also thinks it’s good. And I thought so too.
Liu’s BBQ 老刘本帮烧烤
上海市长宁区长宁路890号玫瑰坊2层F5B-F8室
Tel :
Visited Dec 2023
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