Chinese barbecue in Portland has generally been somewhat of an inside track – you had to know which place (and they were all different) for your crispy roast pork fix, your Cantonese roast duck, for good char siu. The locations for these Chinese BBQ treasures were out far from the Portland city core – often in strip malls in the East Portland (“New Chinatown” past SE 82nd) or Westside suburbs, from your Asian owned restaurant or grocery with non-descript storefronts to procure your goal protein. There is no central Chinatown that you would head towards like in New York, San Fran, Chicago, etc. where you explore a street of businesses looking for the tell tale hanging duck and pork on hooks in a window. Recently a joint venture from restaurateur Micah Camden (who has also brought Portland the famed Blue Star Donuts, Boxer Ramen, Super Deluxe, Little Chickpea, Bae’s Chicken, Rock Paper Fish, and formerly Little Big Burger) and lead by chef Steven Chin has opened. Chinese BBQ in Portland now has a very accessible, and very high quality, place that anyone and everyone can trust for some easy Chinese barbecue fix, with their venture YāYā Portland (Yā is duck in Mandarin).
Steven Chin’s background in Chinese barbecue started with a childhood in New York and with his grandparent’s grocery with a bbq station in Chinatown (a photo of his grandfather and store is featured on the YāYā Portland wall). Chinese BBQ was further refined with mentorship with his friend and legend Martin Yan, famously known for the Yan Can Cook show that I remember watching all the time, one of the few representations of a face like mine on TV back then. He has combined tradition from those learnings also with American business practices such that many American bbq places use where they prep and bbq the meats up to a certain level then finish based on the incoming orders. 
The YāYā Portland storefront on NE Alberta Avenue is a takeout only operation, so no indoor seating or service, though there are some picnic tables outside under a shady tree and a patio covering overhead if you want to eat it immediately. You can order online for pickup from their website YāYā Portland, or via a few delivery apps. Chinese BBQ is not usually served hot, so this is perfect for grabbing to take home and can survive a delivery time window. Usually you buy Chinese barbecue meats by the pound but the orders from YāYā Portland already come on white rice, ready to eat. 
