Peking Duck III

This restaurant with its banner for Peking Duck House on Mott Street in Chinatown supposedly serves one of the best Peking ducks in NYC. I was invited to dinner there a few years ago and I have to admit, it was a classy joint.

The duck was served three ways: (1) the whole duck was carved table side to yield pieces of crispy skin with a layer of fatty meat, and served in paper thin crepes with scallion and hoisin sauce; (2) the skinless duck was then taken back into the kitchen and the meat cut into small pieces and stir-fried with shiitaki mushrooms and other vegetables, served with rice; (3) the rest of the duck (bones and all) was then stewed to make a light soup, which was served last.

It was probably the most decadent Chinese meal I've ever had in NYC. Thank goodness I didn't have to pay for it. The host did.

So where did you eat your most decadent meal?

Peking Duck Take-Out Window

This is a fast food take-out window for Peking duck at a restaurant in Flushing, Queens. I know how oxymoronic it sounds especially since a good Peking duck takes more than a day to prepare. I guess the owner managed to incorporate the best of the East and West to bring the cuisine to the masses.

The photo here shows how Peking duck is traditionally served. It is encased in a steamed bun and then topped with scallions and hoisin sauce. However, I think the restaurant here served it with julienned slices of cucumber instead. Each of these little Peking duck stuffed buns costs $0.75.

Peking Duck in Flushing, Queens

I was in Flushing, Queens for dinner recently. I arrived early so it was a good opportunity to take some photos of the local scecne before meeting up with my friends at the restaurant. Flushing is the second biggest Chinatown in New York City. The biggest and oldest Chinatown is in downtown Manhattan and there is a smaller Chinatown in Brooklyn.

This is a photo of a Peking duck being prepared by the chef for dinner. Peking duck is a specialty dish that originated from Beijing and is primarily enjoyed for its crispy crackled skin. The duck is first boiled, then air dried before being roasted to achieve that crispy caramely skin.