It’s our third visit to David’s Dangerously Delicious Char Siu (DDD as it has come to be known over the years) and we were happy to see that the only thing that’s changed since our last visit in December 2019 is a bigger menu. DDD namesake, Chef David Yoong of Malaysian -Chinese descent, initially started DDD with just 4 items on the menu; offering his signature char siu flavoured meat that was an instant hit in just a few months. A speciality of Cantonese cuisine, Char Siu is a popular way to flavour and prepare barbecued pork/meat.  

Chef David, who would often visit several times during the year to oversee operations and whip up new dishes, was left to adapt to the new normal during the whole of last year due to the pandemic and travel bans – opting to guide his team here over a video call, sending recipes and videos on how to create the new additions to the menu.
 “Our new menu is absolutely exciting!” shares Chef David on a call with us, “It was developed from the feedback and the encouragement from our DDD fans. Our fans are our greatest inspiration. I am, of course, missing my visits to the beautiful city of Colombo, meeting my team, friends and DDD fans which I enjoy thoroughly.” 

As for continuing to create and experiment remotely from another country, Chef David shares that he’s ‘lucky’ to have found a young, passionate and energetic team who continue to do a superb job during these unprecedented times. “In fact, in many areas, they have actually mastered the skills which took me many years to develop. I will put this down to sheer dedication and the keenness to learn,” he commends. 

Along with the new menu, DDD now also offers a new dine-in space for customers. It’s a small open-air indoor space adjacent to DDD with 3 tables that can accompany a maximum of 10 people at a time. Stepping into DDD once more, here’s what we thought of the new additions to the menu.

Crispy, Juicy Whole Pork Knuckle 
Our favourite new addition to the menu is this pre-ordered 1kg Whole Pork Knuckle that is all that’s good and juicy and crispy. This pork knuckle is a work of patience; marinated for 24 hours in a special DDD spice mix, oven cooked for 1 hour and constantly turned and checked for another hour to get the perfect crispy crackling. The result is tender meat and a crisp crackle that’s just top-notch. The pork knuckle is served with a honey mustard sauce and the DDD kochchi dressing. Personally, the kochchi dressing was our choice of dip as it complimented the spiced flavours of the pork knuckle perfectly. Alternatively, they also offer a Crispy Roast Pork Belly (for more of that gorgeous crackling) or a Crispy Roast Whole Chicken. 

Char Siu Pork Wonton Noodle Soup 
There’s something super comforting about a wonton noodle soup and DDD delivered just that feeling with theirs. The Char Siu Pork Wonton Noodle Soup is creamy, comforting and full of bold and striking flavours. It’s hearty and warming and the perfect remedy for a long day or when you are feeling a bit under the weather. The Wonton Noodle Soup uses homemade, hand-cut, dry noodles and handmade pork or chicken wontons with extra minced pork or chicken at the very bottom of the bowl. The spicy broth, made with stock and local spices, was heaty and delicious.  

Classic Steamed Bao  
These juicy and sweet pork Char Siu wrapped in soft and pillowy steamed bao’s are a must-try. We’ve been looking forward to this item since they first opened and we were thrilled to finally find it on the menu. DDD serves the Bao buns deconstructed so the fun part of assembling it all together is left up to you. Four freshly steamed buns are served with fresh cucumbers, a choice of either Char Siu pork or chicken, peanut sauce and fresh spring onion. 

Steamed Dumplings 
Available in pork or chicken – we got half and half of both.  The dumplings are handmade with a light wrapper and a generous filling. Currently, they offer only steamed dumplings which are good enough to be eaten on their own or dipped into their kochchi sauce for a bit of heat.  Personally, we would have loved a lighter, soy-based sauce for the dip – hopefully, it would be introduced in the future! 

Char Siu Bun Box 
Last time, we couldn’t get enough of the small char siu buns on the menu and it was clear that their customers couldn’t either. The Char Siu Bun Box includes 10 large-sized buns filled with either chicken or pork Char Siu that are advance orders only. The buns are fresh, made to order and there’s nothing but char siu meat filling inside. They are best enjoyed hot out of the oven because the bun itself is then super soft and the filling is juicy and sweet. 

Alongside these main new items on the menu, DDD has also introduced DDD Burgers with BBQ chicken or pork, their own take on Nasi Lemak, Limited Edition DDD Asian Curry pork/chicken and extra side dishes like their Silky-Smooth Scrambled Eggs. 

Overall
DDD has yet to disappoint us. When it comes to food, we love consistency and the ability to say that a restaurant continues to deliver the same quality of food and service as it did since it first started is a rare occurrence to us.  DDD remains firmly rooted in its roots despite the growing menu and the increasing popularity. The new menu includes the food we’ve been waiting for ages and we continue to affirm that their food is definitely value for money.

Photos Nimalsiri Edirisinghe