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Directions:  The 1949 Hidden City complex sits directly behind (south of) the Pacific Century Place Mall, between the East Third Ring Road and Sanlitun Bar Street, on the south side of Gongti Beilu.  Walk around or through the mall and you will find the entrance to 1949 just opposite the back doors of the mall.  Enter the courtyard complex through the ornamental black sliding gate and through the art gallery.  Turn left out of the gallery space for Duck de Chine.

What we think

Nestled in the little Sanlitun courtyard oasis that is the 1949 Hidden City, Duck de Chine makes a splashy debut into Beijing's not-so-small Peking Duck pond.  Having had several ducks here in its opening months, we can assure you that Duck de Chine has not used the Beijing new-restaurant fallback (especially favored by upscale establishments) of blaming poor service or kitchen faults on an unspecified ‘soft opening' period.  If anything, their challenge will be to maintain the best behavior and exacting standards that are currently evident in both the front and back of the house.     

Duck de Chine has a classic wood burning duck oven, and they turn out delicious duck.  The skin is thinner and crisper than most other duck houses and the meat is tender, moist and flavorful.  Unlike at Dadong Duck, where you are charged per head for accompaniments, here the duck not only includes a set of condiments for each person, but in addition to the basic hoisin sauce (which you can replenish from a jug on your table), you also get a set of other additions such as sesame paste, peanut sauce and fried garlic, with which you can adjust your duck sauce to taste. 

For accompanying dishes, start with the fragrant, silky, melt-in-your-mouth foie gras terrine toasts (鸭肝酱 - ya gan jiang).  Another interesting starter is little crunchy river shrimp with asparagus (河虾拌双笋 - he xia ban shuang sun), which offers a cool and light accompaniment to the duck.  If you can't get enough of duck but want to avoid the usual webbed feet, tongue and innards, try the savory diced duck breast served with little fried wonton cups (鸭松脆饼 - ya song cui bing) which the menu translates as duck tacos. We also loved the savory stir-fried duck with enoki mushrooms and Hangzhou green chilies (金菇千椒炒鸭柳 - jin gu qian jiao chao ya liu).  Another great accompanying dish is the simply sautéed mixed vegetables, including nice contrasts in texture, flavor and color from mushrooms, snap peas, lotus root and cashews (田园家乡炒五仁 - tian yuan jia xiang chao wu ren).

香满楼 -  Xiang Man Lou

What we think

Xiang Man Lou is our current favorite for a casual local meal, where we also go for excellent and reasonably priced Peking duck.  The duck is generously carved with tender meat and crispy skin, and is served with thin, delicate pancake wrappers and accompanied with hoisin sauce, scallions, and cucumbers.  As one of Savour Asia's favorite jia chang cai places, you are also guaranteed straight forward but delicious accompanying dishes. Arrive early or book a table or be prepared to wait in line. Reservations are available only until 6:30PM.

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Beijing Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant
北京大董烤鸭店 - Bei jing da dong kao ya dian

East Third Ring location:  朝阳区团结湖北口3号楼
Building 3, Tuanjiehu Beikou
Chaoyang, Tuanjiehu (团结湖)
Hours:  11am-10pm
Tel: 010-6582-4003/6582 2892 (which number is correct?)
$: Duck is 198rmb, but Dadong charges 8rmb per person for a “personal” set of condiments, so this can add a hefty amount to the duck tab. 

Directions:  Dadong is on East side of Third Ring Road/Dong San Huan, a few yards south of Chang Hong Qiao intersection. 东三环长虹桥东南角

Nanxincang location:  1-2/F, Nanxincang International Plaza, 22A
Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng District
东城区东四十条甲22号南新仓国际大厦1~2楼 (立交桥西南角)
Hours:  11am-10pm
Tel: 010-5169 0329
$: duck here is the same price as Third Ring Road location

Directions:  The Nanxincang complex is on the southwest corner of the large roundabout and intersection between the Second Ring Road and Gongti Beilu/Dongsishitiao.  Kitty corner from the Poly Theatre. Look for the gray brick traditional style buildings.

What we think

The Third Ring Road location is more old school upscale Chinese style, which is crowded, loud and boisterous.  The new Nanxincang location provides a more refined dining experience in the renovated Imperial Granaries complex at the same prices.

At Dadong, the duck is admittedly tasty enough, but the price of a duck is high, the plating of duck and skin is meager and Dadong also pads the cost of the duck by charging a mandatory 8rmb per head for the privilege of having “personal” condiments. Side dishes are likewise on the fussy and expensive side.  If you must go, be sure to order the duck hearts with lily buds.  The first time we tried it we had also ordered a beef dish and until the beef came, we thought the duck hearts were particularly tender beef. The lily buds come as small slightly starchy petals which are an interesting addition seldom seen in Chinese restaurants abroad. 

Dadong prides itself in presentation and for the prices, your dishes will come dressed with flower petals and other artful touches.

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Beijing Gold Lily Roast Duck Restaurant
北京金百合烤鸭店—Bei jing jin bai he kao yao dian (Jin Bai He, for short)

Chaoyang qu Chaoyang yi yuan bei men zheng dui mian
Directly across from the north gate of Chao Yang Hospital – and very near Sanlitun Bar Street.
Tel: 010-6594 3870
$: Dinner for two including duck and three dishes, 119rmb; whole duck, 58rmb including condiments.

What we think

Great cheap and cheerful duck restaurant.  They recently moved (in the fall of 2007) from their original Chun Xiu Street location. For 58rmb, you can have your duck carved into thin slices with skin and meat on each slice. A great value for sure, but also very good duck. The pancakes looked a little doughy and worrisome when they first arrived but they peeled off the pile easily, were thin and even, and held up nicely throughout dinner. With one duck, we put down at least ten wrappers piled high with duck and still had a bit leftover. The accompanying dishes were a touch heavy-handed but overall not bad. For an extra 30 kuai, you can have your duck carved three ways, with some of the skin and meat separate, and some together. The fancier carving also comes with some extra condiments such as sugar in which to dip the separate skin pieces (a Beijing habit).

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Xiao Wang’s Home Restaurant (also Jia Chang Cai)
小王府 - Xiao Wang Fu 

Near Kerry Center: 
朝阳区光华路东里2号楼;
Chaoyang qu Guanghua Dongli 2 hao lou
No. 2 Building, Guanghua Dongli
Chaoyang
Tel: 010-6591 3255, 6594 3602
$: very affordable, average 50rmb per head; duck is 128rmb includes condiments

Directions:  This location can be a little hard to find.  If you are driving west on Guang Hua Lu (from the Third Ring Road (Dong San Huan), just after you pass the Kerry Center complex on your right, look left for the next small alley (they has been a lot of road construction so you may need to drive up further and U-turn around to turn down the alley now).  Xiao Wang’s is about 100 meters down the alley.  Some people refer to this as the China World location, as it can also be approached from the south on the same alley.

What we think

Their great duck roasting oven is showcased right at the entrance to Xiao Wang’s.  While you might not go there just for the duck, it is a consistent and reliable accompaniment to a casual meal of jia chang favorites.  At Xiao Wang’s you can also order a half duck, which will come quickly; so you can dip your toe in the Peking Duck pond without committing to the whole experience. 

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Overrated: Liqun and Quan Jude Roast Duck

These two names roll quickly off of people’s tongues as the “must eat” destinations for Peking duck. Many now admit that Quan Jude is a hyped up chain, though that has not kept the tour buses from rolling in.  While Liqun used to be the off-the-beaten-track hutong alternative to the famous roast duck houses, it has also suffered from its success (or perhaps it always capitalized off of its quaint location). While the slightly shabby hutong setting might make it feel like a rare find, the glory wall featuring its famous visitors and the line of pedicab drivers trying to fleece tourists by charging US$10 for a 100 meter ride down the alley show that the word is out.  Having tried the duck two years ago and also very recently, the duck price has climbed from 90-138rmb, but otherwise it hasn’t changed much and remains a slightly greasy poor cousin to the duck we have eaten elsewhere.  The accompanying jia chang cai options are also inferior to what you will find at Xiang Man Lou, Xiao Wang Fu or Dadong.  There are some dissenters: the shabby interior actually adds character, and if you have a good group and some cold beer, Liqun can be a hoot.

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