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Peking Duck is Beijing’s most famous dish. It’s a culinary tradition that started in 1864 at Quanjude, and while that restaurant has become an institution of sorts with its long affiliation with the government and as host to countless dignitaries, celebrities and oceans of tourists, many culinary experts believe that the best Peking Duck in the city is at the Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant.

This is my second time at Da Dong and my first visit to the more recently opened flagship branch. It’s massive but still tasteful compared to the seven story Quanjude restaurant that seats 2,000 tourists at once!

Although Da Dong serves the quintessential Chinese specialty, it feels like a western establishment with it’s modern dish presentation and extensive wine list. I’m not sure if this is an enhancement though. On one hand it’s providing a unique experience to the local market, but the creative plating seems to put some of the classic dishes outside of their elements, especially dishes that are meant to be shared. Paired with the high prices, I can imagine how some locals might dismiss the restaurant, which would be a shame because the food is first rate and should have mass appeal!

The duck is awesome and the few dishes I tried were excellent. The menu is quite expensive by local standards (more than I remembered) so we ordered conservatively since we were with friends and wanted to be polite with keeping the bill in check. The final bill came to be 200 RMB/person ($30) but consider budgeting double that for a relaxed feast. As usual for a high end restaurant in Beijing though, the sky’s the limit if you want to be extravagant and simply eat exotic or endangered animals.

Regardless, the main event, i.e. the roast duck, is exceptional value by any standards. A whole bird with its typical accompaniments can serve four people and is 250 RMB ($30). Actually, the name Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant might be a misnomer because 95% of the anthology-sized menu doesn’t involve roast duck.

Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant, Beijing, China, +86 (10) 5169-0328.

Peking Duck is Beijing’s most famous dish. It’s a culinary tradition that started in 1864 at Quanjude, and while that restaurant has become an institution of sorts with its long affiliation with the government and as host to countless dignitaries, celebrities and oceans of tourists, many culinary experts believe that the best Peking Duck in the city is at the Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant.

This is my second time at Da Dong and my first visit to the more recently opened flagship branch. It’s massive but still tasteful compared to the seven story Quanjude restaurant that seats 2,000 tourists at once!

Although Da Dong serves the quintessential Chinese specialty, it feels like a western establishment with it’s modern dish presentation and extensive wine list. I’m not sure if this is an enhancement though. On one hand it’s providing a unique experience to the local market, but the creative plating seems to put some of the classic dishes outside of their elements, especially dishes that are meant to be shared. Paired with the high prices, I can imagine how some locals might dismiss the restaurant, which would be a shame because the food is first rate and should have mass appeal!

The duck is awesome and the few dishes I tried were excellent. The menu is quite expensive by local standards (more than I remembered) so we ordered conservatively since we were with friends and wanted to be polite with keeping the bill in check. The final bill came to be 200 RMB/person ($30) but consider budgeting double that for a relaxed feast. As usual for a high end restaurant in Beijing though, the sky’s the limit if you want to be extravagant and simply eat exotic or endangered animals.

Regardless, the main event, i.e. the roast duck, is exceptional value by any standards. A whole bird with its typical accompaniments can serve four people and is 250 RMB ($30). Actually, the name Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant might be a misnomer because 95% of the anthology-sized menu doesn’t involve roast duck.

Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant, Beijing, China, +86 (10) 5169-0328.

Peking Duck is Beijing’s most famous dish. It’s a culinary tradition that started in 1864 at Quanjude, and while that restaurant has become an institution of sorts with its long affiliation with the government and as host to countless dignitaries, celebrities and oceans of tourists, many culinary experts believe that the best Peking Duck in the city is at the Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant.

This is my second time at Da Dong and my first visit to the more recently opened flagship branch. It’s massive but still tasteful compared to the seven story Quanjude restaurant that seats 2,000 tourists at once!

Although Da Dong serves the quintessential Chinese specialty, it feels like a western establishment with it’s modern dish presentation and extensive wine list. I’m not sure if this is an enhancement though. On one hand it’s providing a unique experience to the local market, but the creative plating seems to put some of the classic dishes outside of their elements, especially dishes that are meant to be shared. Paired with the high prices, I can imagine how some locals might dismiss the restaurant, which would be a shame because the food is first rate and should have mass appeal!

The duck is awesome and the few dishes I tried were excellent. The menu is quite expensive by local standards (more than I remembered) so we ordered conservatively since we were with friends and wanted to be polite with keeping the bill in check. The final bill came to be 200 RMB/person ($30) but consider budgeting double that for a relaxed feast. As usual for a high end restaurant in Beijing though, the sky’s the limit if you want to be extravagant and simply eat exotic or endangered animals.

Regardless, the main event, i.e. the roast duck, is exceptional value by any standards. A whole bird with its typical accompaniments can serve four people and is 250 RMB ($30). Actually, the name Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant might be a misnomer because 95% of the anthology-sized menu doesn’t involve roast duck.

Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant, Beijing, China, +86 (10) 5169-0328.

A creative plate of Kung pao prawns is one of the cheaper dishes and is 98 RMB (others average about 150 RMB). The western presentation of an old standards like this just might come across as pretentious to many locals. It certainly departs from Chinese presentational themes of generosity and communal-ism (it’s not communist enough).

Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant
Beijing, China +86 (10) 5169-0328

A creative plate of Kung pao prawns is one of the cheaper dishes and is 98 RMB (others average about 150 RMB). The western presentation of an old standards like this just might come across as pretentious to many locals. It certainly departs from Chinese presentational themes of generosity and communal-ism (it’s not communist enough).

Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant
Beijing, China +86 (10) 5169-0328