Fantasy Hong Kong Style BBQ isn’t for everyone, but it is for anyone who is desperate to find authentic Chinese roasted duck, roasted pork belly, honey pork, and spare ribs cut to order. This is true Chinese barbecue.
Hidden away in a former Round Table pizza, diners are greeted by lacquered roast ducks (heads still on) hanging on hooks in a glass case. The Chinatown similarities extend to a hunk of pork belly, ribs and a few, uh, unrecognizable items hanging by hooks or in steam trays (which turn out to be beef cartilage and pig ears).
Though the menu can be daunting, it’s easiest to just ask what’s good, and do the bbq special: Two meats, rice or noodles and then enjoy the show as the chef hacks slices of meat with a giant cleaver with the adeptness of a sushi chef. For about $14, you’ll get a massive plate of food that could easily feed two. Possibly three.
The roasted duck, with crispy skin and five-spice, is the best we’ve had anywhere in the North Bay, and the honey pork is sweet without being cloying. And though many high-end chefs charge a fortune for pork belly, you’ll get a huge portion with crackling skin and moist, lush fat that would cost five times as much elsewhere.
Suffice to say this is an off-the-beaten-path find that’s only been open a few months, and can only survive if more folks find it. We were stoked for some chicken feet, but the chef said he’s recently taken them off the menu for lack of interest.
There’s a buffet with more typical Chinese offerings like lemon chicken, fish, fried rice and veggies, all made fresh. Plus, fried peanuts if you’re a fan.
Fantasy Hong Kong Style BBQ: 1520 E. Washington St., Petaluma, opening 10:30a.m. to 9p.m. daily.
their BBQ was so good ‘it taste better than some where else , that’s for real ！ I will bring my family and my family there try more delicious food ！ I was so happy they are town. . Petaluma finally have a good Chinese Restaurant now
AND THEY HAVE AMAXING HOT POT FOR DINNER!!!!!!! You have to try it – fresh fresh deliciousness with huge portions. Each order feeds 4
Some of these ignorant comments are exactly why so many true authentic ethnic restaurants fail to thrive in Sonoma County. If you don’t know what the food is supposed to taste like, or how it should be served, try and be kind before discrediting a place! I’ve been and did not love their “buffet” items, but their BBQ is the best in Sonoma and Marin County, and served at the correct temperature (you guys have obviously never been to the deli at Ranch 99 or to Chinatown)…for instance steamed chicken is classically served cold, but can be heated to taste. Their BBQ makes for great take out and would be perfect to bring to potlucks and parties.
I’ve been going to Oakland Chinatown for 20 years to get this FANTASIC DUCK like this. Now
it’s here in Petaluma. I’ll still make some trips to Oaktown to get all the other great fare, DIMSUM.
AS to the worries of previous posters about this being POISION FOOD. This Food has been prepared and served this way , in this country for maybe 100 years ??? You have a much greater risk at Taco Bell.
Upon seeing this article, I rushed out to try this place before even scrolling down to look at the comments.
Unfortunately, my experience matched that of the top commenter: the roast duck was room temperature, which anyone should know is a bad way to serve duck. Worse, the friend rice that came with the combo we ordered was stale, cold and dried out. It had obviously been cooled a long time before and wasn’t even warmed, it was just served stale. What they called “roast chicken” turned out to be something else where the chicken was refrigerated (was this the alleged “steamed chicken”? It was no winner either).
They served some vegetables with the combo , and these were at least edible but were nothing special. Garnish, really.
The waitress set the plate down and then bailed without asking if we even wanted something to drink, and before I could even take a breath and ask for something.
They are seriously flouting state health laws by hanging the meat up in a glass case and apparently not heating it up before serving it. I had assumed that when we ordered duck they would cut some of it off one of the ducks and then stick it in a salamander or something so it would be presented warm, at least. But alas, no.
I ended up refusing to eat more than the first couple of bites and then (grudgingly) paying so that we leave and get some real food elsewhere.
Fantasy Restaurant? For me it was more like a nightmare restaurant.
wel. .. I been there two days ago ！the roast duck was delicious andalso the food was very fresh ！that’s the best Chinese restaurant in Petaluma …maybe u don’t know theHongKong style BBQ is like that. .. roastduck must be normal temperature ..it can’t be keep warm …and the steamed chicken is comes tocold ！ if u don’t know how to enjoy that food ..please don’t say something bad to someone … coz they doing a good food！please search before u say something and be patient to the new business ！
Was that comment in English? Nonsense. Health rules dictate otherwise. Warm/room temperature items left out for hours will cause some nasty food poisoning pretty quickly, plus it’s nasty and not to American tastes…
Hey Ron… I’m American. Born & Breed. You do not speak for my tastes, or what I think is “nasty”. “Health rules dictate otherwise”… trying to speak on behalf of health inspectors too? Please just speak for yourself.
Sure. You just keep eating that precooked food that’s been, essentially, left out, neither cooled nor kept at a safe temperature, and enjoy the food poisoning you’ll get later. If that’s what you like, go for it…
Hey “Rhizomorph”: If you’re not satisfied with the food and or service, politely say something before you get half way into the meal. You’d be surprised at how many times servers and or owners will go out of their ways to accommodate you. Otherwise, shut up and don’t tell lies, everybody’s tastes are different.
Tried it. They need to keep their food warm. Couldn’t tell if it was really any good as they served everything tepid at best.
Ok, this is great. No thanks to Petaluma publications who rarely if ever talks about new restaurants in town. Im going tomorrow for the duck and some!
Thanks, Heather
I recently discovered this place online as I drove 30 minutes just fir the roasted & steam chickens. It was good and I will come back again for more roasted chicken.
Thanks for posting Heather. I never would have known about the place being a SR resident. Gave it a try today. A nice little place. Very clean (Unlike the filthy chinese buffet on Mendicino Ave. in SR.) The buffet was good, not very many items but what they had was good. Wish they had more chicken offerings, lots of pork. It wasn’t an all you can eat buffet. For $10.00 dollars you fill a styrofoam box one time only. But for $10.00 you can have a very filling meal. I got 1/2 lb. of honey BBQ pork sliced to take home. EXCELLENT. I will go again.
Drive 20 miles, and back, to Petaluma for Hong Kong BBQ? Um, yeah. I’m going there next week.
That write up was just unfair; especially the part about the duck. I used to live where I could walk into Chinatown (SF) in about 20 minutes; and my only worry was the walk back. Perfect duck is equal to the results of a master working with a well-marbled brisket.
That trip may be tomorrow!
Some people feel they have to say something bad when they don’t understand how certain dishes are served. Take a trip to Chinatown in SF or Oakland and see how the duck is hanging in the windows. It doesn’t stay hot forever and it not only tastes good when warm but even tastes good at room temperature. Much better than being reheated in a microwave or overcooked in a regular oven.