Dongs and ducks

The Chinese say that good things come in pairs. So you get yin and yang, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, and Gong Li's pair of tuan tuan and yuan yuan. In the spirit of twosomes, I decided to offer another Peking Duck review, coming right after the previous one on Duck de Chine. The restaurant in focus is named Dadong (or Big Dong), which I believe is named after the chef and not Ms Gong's famed assets.


While not many have heard of Duck de Chine, Dadong is a well-known name in the culinary bird circles of Beijing since 1996. It has been frequented by many luminaries including, ahem, Singapore's President S R Nathan (check out his Chinese autograph!) and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.


There is good reason why Singapore's top leaders have been to this restaurant. It, somehow, is the favourite Peking Duck choice of most Singaporeans in Beijing. Ask any Singaporean here to recommend and chances are they will point you in the direction of Dadong. I don't really know why because it's not like Dadong serves Peking Duck with chilli (oh yes, yummy idea...). But anyhow, you know you can trust a Singaporean on birds. We used to have them on our dollar notes, and every kid growing up in the 1970s and 80s has been to the Jurong Bird Park.

Enough bird talk. As I mentioned in my earlier post, most good Peking Ducks taste the same to me. Crispy and fragrant. Dadong claims that its ducks are "super lean" and with half the usual fat of other roast ducks. But I can't really tell the difference. It is definitely good. But what makes Dadong my favourite Peking Duck restaurant is its finer touches and its attention to details. Here is its magnificent 7.

1. A lovely plain duck broth soup, made from the remainder of the duck.

2. Free fruit plate and desserts - the sesame paste is heavenly.


3. A brief tutorial by a waitress on the three different ways in which the duck can be eaten. One, dipping the crispy skin in sugar; two, roll in the pancake; three, as part of a "Chinese duck hamburger with sesame buns" and garlic paste.


4. Cheaper ducks than Duck de Chine (228 yuan). Just 198 yuan per bird here.

5. Thinner pancakes and crispier sesame buns than Duck de Chine.


6. Chic presentation of dishes, check out pictures below.


7. Stupendous dishes to accompany the duck. Dadong's menu was so thick and heavy it was actually a strain on my arms. Its dishes have been widely lauded for its creativity, blending the east and west. Try Chef Dong's braised eggplant (58 yuan, below) and the stewed squid egg soup (26 yuan).


There are two Dadong outlets, but go for the newer one at Nanxincang complex (10-5169-0329), which is a restored 600-year-old Ming Dynasty imperial granary. The chic interior decor of Dadong draws a nice contrast to the old-world exterior charm. Reservations are essential.



PS: In case you are wondering why there are so many pictures in this post, it's because of two idiotic friends who insist that my blog must have more pictures. Who the hell says good things come in pairs?