PrintSharing (or not) a Whole Roasted Duck at Peking Duck House
I didn't like duck until I ate confit de canard for the first time about one and a half years ago. Since then, I thought duck couldn't get any better than that: poached, preserved, and fried in its own fat.
But it can get better, or at least it can be of the same tastiness caliber. I've had duck at Chinese restaurants before—experiences that I only remember for featuring disappointingly tough meat and chewy fat—but none were ever as good as the Peking Duck at Peking Duck House in Chinatown. After the waiter presented my group of five with our whole roasted duck, he took it to a central cutting table where a chef cleanly sliced the meat off the bone. The waiter returned with a large plate of neatly fanned out duck slices, each one with a shiny layer of golden skin, skin that was was paper-thin and as crisp as the crust of perfect baguette. All of my favorite textures were combined in every bite of crackling skin atop a soft layer of underlying fat and sweet, tender meat. Hell, who needs meat; the pieces that were solely composed of fat and skin may have been my favorite.
Although the duck was accompanied by sliced cucumber, scallions, hoisin sauce, rice, and pancake wraps (which I felt were too thick), it tasted perfectly good on its own. You probably need something to cut through the richness, though.
Peking Duck House
28 Mott Street, New York NY 10013 (near Mosco Street; map)
212-227-1810
pekingduckhousenyc.com
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6 Comments:
I would suggest a nice cold glass of Beni Otome shochu to cut through the richness. Japanese, yes, but it would pair perfectly. It's made from sesame seeds, and is utterly amazing.
And by the way, I wouldnt share the duck either if I didnt have to.... OMG, want.
simon at 2:47PM on 07/01/08
@Simon: I like eating rice as my buffer, but I'm sure many people would prefer beer..hehe...
Oh man, I don't think you could pay me to eat this whole duck. ..In one sitting. I was so full by the end (the five of us shared the duck, dumplings, and Chinese broccoli.)
roboppy at 4:12PM on 07/01/08
WANT
simon at 5:24PM on 07/01/08
I've been here a few times...so good. You definitely should try it with the rice flour tortilla with the duck pieces (plus extra skin), cucumber, green onion, and hoisin. It's sublime. I haven't had it recently, i really should.
ChiefHDB at 10:25PM on 07/01/08
You can get buns instead of wraps if you ask. I like this place (even threw my own b-day party here) though I think it is still not as top-notch as the best Peking duck places in SF or, duh, Beijing.
Obnoxiously,
A Peking-duck lover.
NYminknit at 10:43AM on 07/02/08
@NYminknit: Thanks for the tip! I'd rather have buns. And if I ever go to Beijing, I'll have to get duckies...and a gazillion other things. If I don't die from the pollution.
roboppy at 10:56AM on 07/02/08