Da Dong - Beijing (China)

Contrary to common belief, peking duck is not originally from Beijing. Instead, it can actually be traced back to Nanjing, the formal Chinese capital, during the Ming Dynasty.

When the capital moved to Beijing in the early 1400s, imperial chefs brought with them the techniques of this classic dish that is to this day associated with the city.

During my days in Beijing, I decided on eating Peking duck from at least two different restaurants, to try to understand the subtle differences from each version. for a more refined take, @dadong_nxc from @chefdadong was first on my list.

Getting there was an adventure, during our very first few hours in a new country. Jet Lagged and still not familiar with the apps used in China, our quest involved stopping several strangers on the street, to ask for directions with the help of translation apps.

When we finally arrived, we were quickly seated and wasted no time looking at the menu. There was only one dish in mind.

The ducks are roasted in a spherical wood fired oven that distributes the heat evenly. The restaurant also uses 22 day old ducks, which are not too greasy. The result is an ultra crispy skin, almost popcorn-like, and a lean meat underneath it.

Da Dong is an empire nowadays, with several units in different cities, but we went to the flagship branch. It was a great first meal in China and a perfect introduction to a dish that I was eager to try.

(Versão em Português nos comentários) Less