Editor’s Note: Video by Black Buddha
When the gong sounds, almost every diner at Beijing restaurant Duck de Chine turns around. That’s because one of the city’s greatest culinary shows is about to begin – the slicing of a Peking duck.
Often voted by local guides in China as the best Peking duck in the city, the skin on Duck de Chine’s birds is crispy and caramelized, its meat tender and juicy.
“Our roasted duck is a little different than elsewhere,” says An Ding, manager of Duck de Chine. “We use jujube wood, which is over 60 years old, and has a strong fruit scent, giving the duck especially crispy skin and a delicious flavor.”
The sweet hoisin sauce, drizzled over sliced spring onions and cucumbers and encased with the duck skin in a thin pancake, is another highlight.
“The goal of our service is to focus on the details,” says Ding. “It includes both how we present the roasted duck, and the custom sauces made for our guests.”
Located inside 1949 - The Hidden City – a former factory-turned-dining and nightlife complex – Duck de Chine certainly isn’t subtle when it comes to promoting its most famous dish. Even the plates and the chopsticks holders are duck-shaped. It also boasts China’s first Bollinger Champagne Bar.
Though Peking duck is the star, there are plenty of other worthy dishes on the menu. The restaurant serves both Cantonese and Beijing cuisine, but with a touch of French influence.
Mouth not watering yet? Check out the gong-led action in the above video produced by Black Buddha.
Duck de Chine, Gong Ti Nei Lu, (behind Pacific Century Place), Chao Yang District, Beijing; +86 10 6501 8881
