Is Peking Duck the best sandwich in the world?
Crisp bronzed skin wrapped in delicate crepes stuffed with spring onion and cucumber, anointed with Hoisin , a Chinese mother sauce, sweet soy with a hint of garlic, peppers, processed into a spicy glutinous glop. Then, another sandwich, iceberg lettuce leaf folded around the chopped duck meat. The finale is duck soup.
Now I,like many others, have tried to reproduce Peking Duck at home but it’s never tasted the same. The magic duck is best eaten out. But where?
I used to love Champion House on Dundas – where a gong was banged as the duck rolled off the assembly line. But since Champion House shuttered, the best ducks have reportedly migrated to Toronto’s new territories.
So I Bing Peking Duck on my GPS (internet) to track ‘em down. There isn’t much debate among foodies. Chung King in Markham,Ambassador in Richmond Hill and Pekin Man, Steeles and Leslie top the list.
A Peking duck feeds atleast four. I assemble fans for a marathon, three Ducks in a single night. Perfect Palate has come along because she has the extra taste buds needed to identify the fugitive flavours of the Chinese cuisine.
Local critics warn against the deep fried duck – now as widespread as it is in New York where Michael Chow of Mr. Chow charges most chefs cheat and deep fry. “Of course that makes them crisp, but that’s not the way they should be done, or the way we do it.”
We depart from St. Clair and Yonge at 5 pm and arrive at Peking Man within 30 minutes. Very bright and jolly. $36 for the bird, $7 more for the lettuce leaf/stirfry. It will take twenty minutes.
The duck is not presented, but we have a ringside seat as the waiter shaves the crackling skin with élan, piling up little shiny wings. The sliced spring onions and English cucumber take a little longer to arrive..
Deep fried cries Perfect Palate. She’s right. The duck has been roasted and then deep fried for crisp to the max.
Is this why some of the skin has a thin line of fat underneath?
Now where are the crepes? It says a lot about the magic duck that it’s irresistible even when the skins are wrapped in crepes with the consistency of damp Kleenex.
The juicy stirfry, wrapped in lettuce leaf, is excellent, sweet carrots, veg, surely pork?, and those delectable deep fried glass noodles.
We get to Chung King in Markham Market Village just after 7. The manager indicates a table and drops menus on us. The room is dominated by a large party enjoying a feast.
Chung King has the real thing – Beijing Duck with all three courses. ($37.95). The duck arrives within twenty five minutes sparkling skin piled on a platter. The steamed 6-inch crepes are dry, the perfect complement for skins that crackle in the mouth, nary a shred of fat and a little gamy duck meat.
Is the duck the deep fried? The manager, now beaming, is crisp. “The duck is roasted” It’s hung in an oven like so, and she sketches in the air the rack from which the duck hangs. For how long? “It’s a secret” she beams some more.
The second course is on the dull side, the duck seems dry and there are no deep fried glass noodles.
A fine finale arrives with a big bowl of an clear but intense duck broth
We get to Ambassador in West Beaver Creek Mall just after 9.
Ambassador is posh Chinese, a large dazzling room which tonight is a quarter full. Welcome is warm. We order Peking Duck, two courses $39. Duck comes in twenty minutes, then, using brisk brutal strokes, the waiter slices it up. The waitress prepares a couple of exquisite crepes, skin, fixins, leaving us to add the Hoisin.
The Hoisin sauce is an interesting house version, slightly sour. As for the duck it is deep fried first and then finished in the oven. Skin is clear of fat, meat is moist.
The second course is remarkable for the juiciness of the stir fried duck and pork with key carrots and deep fried glass noodles.
My fortune cookie advises me that expectations are being met. Love it.
All restaurants open 7/7, wheelchair accessible, noisy if full.
***Chung King 4394 Steeles Ave E 905 513 8788
** 1/2 Ambassador, 280 West Beaver Creek Road 905 731 5570
** Peking Man1100 Sheppard E. 416-223-5151
