First Look: Wang Wang Brings the Heat (and Northern Chinese Barbeque) to Glenferrie Road Malvern

Wang Wang on Glenferrie Road Malvern has a tough gig. The Chinese barbeque spot is surrounded by, and therefore forced to compete with, neighbourhood restaurants including Sichuan Legacy, tapas spot Remy and Something Italian.

But Wang Wang has the advantage of being the only Asian barbeque restaurant in the area. “We’re trying to bring new experiences here,” owner James Wang tells Broadsheet.

Passers-by can peek through the large glass windows and see diners grilling meats and vegetables over one of the restaurant’s 10 charcoal grills, which are built into the tables. Step inside the corner building and you’ll be greeted by the smell of barbeque and the sounds of food sizzling over an impossibly hot plate.

Wang’s self-titled restaurant specialises in Qiqihar barbeque, a city in the Heilongjiang province in north-east China. “It’s food from our childhood,” Wang says, explaining that his mother would often make Qiqihar-style barbeque when he was growing up.

After you sit down and order, a server will bring a pot of glowing hot charcoal and place it underneath the hotplate in the centre of the table. Each diner is then given a pair of tongs and a dish containing Wang Wang’s special seasoning, sesame sauce and sesame oil, and is encouraged to start barbequing.

Wang Wang’s offerings include “traditional” Qiqihar barbeque (as it’s called on the menu) where thin slices of seasoned beef, cut fresh, are brought to the table ready to be grilled on the hot plate.

The menu offers a smaller selection than what you might expect from a barbeque restaurant. High-quality cuts are prioritised and for those wanting to go all-out, the restaurant offers sets with Wagyu that’s mostly sourced from Stone Axe Wagyu in Victoria, but also includes Kumamoto A5 Wagyu from Japan.

There are other ready-to-eat dishes that can be ordered in addition to the meats and vegetables diners cook themselves at the table. Wang Wang’s menu reflects the history of flavour exchanges that have taken place in Northern China, but Wang Wang’s signature north-east Chinese dishes are the standouts.

These include the gada soup, a classic tomato and egg-based soup with tiny balls of dough dropped throughout. And the bam fan or mixed rice (a dish often likened to the Korean bibimbap).

The venue is sleek, to say the least. The building was designed and fitted out by Chinese architect Lele Peng. Wang says Peng was determined to showcase the building’s history by maintaining the exposed brick. Coupled with the black marble tabletops and minimalist decor, the space feels at once spacious, cosy, refined and approachable.

You won’t find soju or sake here, but you can find Santori on tap and Chinese-style cocktails like the Lychee Daquiri and the Jasmine Negroni.

Wang Wang BBQ
267 Glenferrie Road, Malvern
0432 801 267

Hours:
Tues to Sun 11am–3pm; 5pm–10.30pm

@wangwang_bbq