Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Squab Head


[js]
Roast squabs, for us, is a "restaurant dish," that is, a dish which we probably will not ever make at home.


It is a Chinese restaurant dish, and in Vancouver, Chinese restaurants on the higher end of the spectrum advertise their roast squabs heavily, knowing that diners will judge the entire restaurant based on the quality and price of their roast squab. When you walk into one of these restaurants, you most often will see roast squabs on the every table. Roast squabs are in such high demand that the restaurant will limit the number of squabs one table can order (usually, maximum is 3).

Which means, there are three squab heads for me to nibble on this particular night. I ate them all since nobody at our table wanted to have them. It was their loss, I said.

One of the things I love about Chinese restaurants is there is no embarrassment just using your hands. Well, how else can you get at the squab meat, especially between their little bones?

See, I just used my hand to fly that head into my waiting mouth.

I love squab heads:
I love sucking their fried-up brains;
I love nibbling on all the bones in the neck.

I don't have squab often, but when I do, I make sure I eat the whole bird!


23 comments:

  1. Hey it looks great. I love eating chinese in Vancouver, there's so many place to check out!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is that the same as roasted quail? I remember enjoying them in HK! Hou Hou Sek!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Or is that the same as the roasted pigeon we have in Chinese banquets here in the Philippines?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ewwwwwwww.. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Okay - yea, so I'm gonna have to pass on eating EVERY part of the bird. I'm sure the flesh is good though.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good for you for posting this dish, it's look fabulous to those squeemish wimps...I'll start by eating from the head! lol

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love squab at Chinese restaurants too! Thank Goodness they don't limit the number you can order here, or there would be a fight at our table.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What is squab?? I feel so deprived.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love to see daring people as you posting about such a thing!!!!!! I never ate a Squab Head before, I don't even know what a Squab is... looks a bit bigger than a quail, but I appreciate that you talk about it! I'm sure it was delicious... I always eat rabbit's brain when I cook the head and the cheeks are delicious too :D. I know it sounds a bit like Hannibal Lecter, but, it's the way it is!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. You freaked out my coworker while I was reading this.
    "Is that what you Asians eat?"
    (We're pretty tight, so I wasn't offended or anything)

    ReplyDelete
  11. some foods just taste better when eating with hands ;) I'm too chicken to eat the head though, heh :P

    ReplyDelete
  12. I know what you mean. Im that way the crispy wing tip. Although I refrain myself from doing itin public. That sqaub looks like something I need to look out for next!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is soo gross that this kid sucks its fried brains and nibbles on his head. What if you were that baby bird!

      Delete
  13. i know this nothing to do with squab but the song...fish heads, fish heads, roly poly, fish heads... fish heads, fish heads, eat them up, yum! i don't remember where it's from just that i sang that a lot as a kid.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great photos. I love roast squab though I pass on the head and tail.

    Sun Sui Wah is famous for their roasted squab. We go there just for the squab and the steamed Alaska King Crab with garlic. Add a plate of vegetables and it is the perfect meal.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Awesome! You probably already know this, but in the Philippines they have chicken heads as street food and they refer to it as "helmet". Chicken feet are "adidas". :P

    ReplyDelete
  16. um, YUM!!! I love the ending of this post (about how you love squab and love the head) HA!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I don't think I have ever had squab.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love squab too. Once at a friend's wedding, I was seated at a table with a bunch of white people. They didn't know how to eat them at all so I got most of the platter. They were also slightly horrified I munched on the bones. :P

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have absolutely no idea what a squab is. It looks nice and crispy, but I'd pass on the head.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Squab is young pigeon. I'm sure it's not the same pigeons you see flying around the park. These pigeons are specifically bred for food. Here's a link for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squab_(food)

    ReplyDelete
  21. "I love squab heads:
    I love sucking their fried-up brains;
    I love nibbling on all the bones in the neck."

    I love how defiantly you say that, as if others might accuse it of being, I don't know, totally weird and gross :P

    (Still, I'd try it at least once)

    ReplyDelete
  22. never wasted their wholeaome goodness..

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin Related Stories Widget for Blogs