Beijing Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant (北京大董烤鸭店)

I Peking Duck just to say I'd tried it and not really expecting to like it. It turned out to actually be really good!

The most famous roast duck chain in Beijing is Quan Ju De but our guidebook said that one has gone downhill since coming under government ownership and recommended DaDong. This place seems pretty busy, so try to get there before the rush or make a reservation.

If you've never had Peking Duck before, they will have a server demonstrate the 3 ways of preparing the duck. They also have a pamphlet that explains the three ways. 1) Crispy duck skin with fine sugar, 2) Sweet sauce with sliced leek, cucumber, and radish, 3) Garlic paste. The last two methods are also rolled into a small pancake before being eaten. My favorite was a mix of garlic paste and radish.

We only ordered half a duck (should've gotten a whole one). The chef brought out our duck for approval and sliced the meat in the dining area for us. The meat was excellent and not oily.

The other thing we really liked about this restaurant was all the freebies. There was a free fruit plate with an ice fog (see photo), there was free duck soup, and the tea was excellent.