THE BEST: Peking Duck in Manhattan

[jeffreys1]

My wife and I have to drop our daughter at a concert Friday night and wait around to pick her up. We want to go for Peking duck and I am looking for suggestions. Also if you have other favorite dishes at the place you mention please share those as well. Thanks in advance.

Jeff

[dukeofurl]

I had a good one over at 27 sunrise a month ago. Well, I lied. We didnt have just one. We had three.

It's a little off the beaten path at 27 division street.

Edited December 7, 2005 by dukeofurl (log)

[Pan]

This topic has come up before, but not in its own thread. I think this is an important topic, so I have changed the title and put a link to this thread on the pinned "THE BEST" thread for added visibility.

Carry on!

[Dryden]

What do people think of Peking Duck house (just for the peking duck, though).

[AK@Spicehouse]

My wife and I have to drop our daughter at a concert Friday night and wait around to pick her up.  We want to go for Peking duck and I am looking for suggestions.  Also if you have other favorite dishes at the place you mention please share those as well.  Thanks in advance.

Jeff

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MAINLAND 1081 3rd Avenue. They use a special oven, special chef, tasty duck. Pricey, but the best I have eaten.

[DTBarton]

What do people think of Peking Duck house (just for the peking duck, though).

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We ate at the Peking Duck House on Mott street recently. I thought the duck and the string beans were very good. Pricy for Chinatown, though.

[Parmhero]

I had lunch with a friend at Peking Duck House on Mott St. We both thought it was great. They specialize in Pecking Duck--so the duck, pancakes, plum sauce, and scallions seem to be top quality consistently, and they have the service down to a science. The space was pleasant too. It's elegant, with white tablecloths, nice utensils, china, etc. I thought the price was reasonable. Recommended.

[oakapple]

Hard to say, with so many restaurants available, but I think Peking Duck House is superb. Mainland is more expensive and certainly no better (food-wise), though it is a much more attractive space.

[Dryden]

To answer my own question, I'd say Peking Duck house has the best peking duck I've had in New York, somewhat surprisingly better than Mainland (where the overall food is better, though).

[ned]

My best (and most expensive) Peking duck experience in NYC was at Mr. Chow. The Peking Duck House is more consistent in my experience. Mr. Chow has been up and down.

According to their manager, they cook about 130 ducks per day at Peking Duck House.

I found the duck at Mainland fair to middlin. That oven you see from the foyer isn't really an oven. It's just a pretty spot to hang ducks with a dramatic bit of flame.

Chinatown Brasserie has Peking Duck on the menu. I bet it'll be a contender.

There's a formal service that accompanies the "true" Peking Duck meal. Many courses all around the duck. Do any NYC restaurants do it? Can anyone elaborate on what the meal is?

Edited May 20, 2006 by ned (log)

[Dryden]

You can get the soup and all that jazz at Peking Duck house if you tell them and order it for enough people.

[k43]

I like Maple Garden, which used to be part of the Peking Duck House chain but broke away. They're at 236 East 53rd Street, 212/759-8260. They have the identical presentation of PDH, and you don't have to order ahead.

They aren't really authentic, since they don't bring the duck out sizzling hot and serve the skin separately, but I like the skin on the meat anyway, and the flavor is great. They don't automatically serve soup either.

You have to ask them to chop the carcass and bring it back out. There's lots of meat on it.

The price is of course a few dollars higher than in Chinatown, but the place is never crowded, the tables are large and well-spaced, the noise level is low and everyone is fluent in English.

The rest of their menu isn't up to the PD, but the PD itself is spectacular.

[gaf]

In the Roberto's thread, we have had an interesting discussion of restaurants that systematically do some things better than others.

I was at the Peking Duck House yesterday, and it is a classic case. The Peking Duck (should it be Beijing Duck?) was very enjoyable and prepared tableside. The remainder of the food we ordered was strictly ordinary (the crispy sea bass was quite tasty, but the rest was standard issue). The nice thing about the PDH is that they announce their skills up front - let the buyer beware - and the rest of the menu is for those who have been roped into diner by duck lovers. The appetizers were OK, but with the exception of the fish, the other main courses (beef with broccoli, fried chicken, fried rice, crispy beans, etc.) are only distractions.

[Pan]

[...]The Peking Duck (should it be Beijing Duck?)[...]

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If you're in Beijing, call it "ka ya" (roast duck). When you're in New York, it's up to you.

[bleachboy]

Are these opinions still accurate? I'm going to be in NYC mid-November and would really like some Peking Duck, as it's been over a year since I enjoyed this treat, one of my favorite dishes in the world.

I was hoping to eat it for lunch and will only have one duck-eater (and one vegetarian) with me. The Peking Duck House website seems to indicate that you can't order the Peking Duck for less than four.. huh? My friend and I can easily eat a whole duck with trimmings by ourselves. My wife, ever patient, will probably be happy to eat some rice and some broccoli with garlic sauce or home-style tofu, or a seafood dish or something. She knows I love duck. She's a trooper.

Mainland (mentioned upthread as a place with better non-duck dishes) seems to be closed. True?

[somemale]

Peking Duck House is good, just pricey. Make sure you get the soup as well, very tastey.

[Claudia Greco]

Peking Duck House is good, just pricey. Make sure you get the soup as well, very tastey.

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Having been raised in Hong Kong (and therefore exposed to a lot of Pekingnese food, as well as Cantonese, etc.), I'd have to concur that Peking Duck House would be the best bet in NYC for good Peking duck. I'm sorry, Mainland (which, I believe, is under renovation right now) doesn't clear the bar. And, believe it or not, Maple Gardens (55 between 2nd and 3rd, Iif I remember correctly) has lovely Peking duck. My family and I still celebrate Chinese New Year every year, and the duck is always from one of those two places. Happy Hunting - and enjoy!

[Sneakeater]

Mainland is indeed closed.

I could SWEAR I've ordered Peking Duck for two at the Peking Duck House. But maybe my memory is faulty.

[Dryden]

You can definitely order it for less than four. To get the soup, you might need 4. Although, you can always pay for 4 and take it with you...

[Parmhero]

Peking Duck House is good, just pricey. Make sure you get the soup as well, very tastey.

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We paid something like $28 for a duck for two at the Peking Duck House on Mott St. About $14 each plus tip. I didn't find that too pricey.

Edited October 13, 2006 by Parmhero (log)

[LPShanet]

While I concur with the Peking Duck House recommendations, I've also had decent renditions at Kam Chueh on Bowery and Fulleen, though these are probably not as consistent as PDH.

[LycheeLover]

Another vote for the Peking Duck House..but that's the only thing worth getting there...