Beijing Dadong Kaoya Dian
On east side of East Third Ring Road, north of Tuanjie Hu Park
Cuisines: Chinese, Asian
About
No hundred years of history or obscure hutong location here, just a crispy-skinned and pleasing roast duck that many say is one of the best in town -- it rivals that of our favorite place for duck, Made in China, and it's also cheaper. The restaurant claims to use a special method to reduce the amount of fat in its birds, although it seems unlikely that duck this flavorful could possibly be good for you. The birds come in either whole (¥98/$13/£6.55) or half (¥49/$6.55/£3.25) portions and are served in slices with a wide assortment of condiments (garlic, green onion, radish). Place the duck on a pancake with plum sauce and your choice of ingredients, and then roll and eat. An excellent plain broth soup, made from the rest of the duck, is included in the price. The English picture menu offers a wide range of other dishes, everything from mustard duck webs to duck tongue in aspic, plus a number of excellent doufu (tofu) dishes with thick, tangy sauces. Every meal comes with a free fruit plate and dessert. This is one of the few restaurants in Beijing with a nonsmoking room.
