Hmmmm . . . they don't make Peking Duck anymore. I just called them on Friday, since they are *the* authentic Chinese place in Fairfax, and they said they don't do it. I was stunned.:confused:

Bummer. :( It was known all over the area for its great duck. Wonder why they stopped preparing it?

You might try the Peking Gourmet Inn on Route 7 between Bailey's Crossroads and Seven Corners. I think it's in the Culmore Shopping Center. They've been there forever, and I've always enjoyed the Peking Duck there. The tableside carving is quite the production.

Xiao Wang's is excellent. The quality of the duck (particularly the crispiness of the skin) and pancakes in uniformly excellent in Beijing, but I can't get over just how sweat the Hoisin sauce is. Maybe it's my relatively uneducated American pallate, but I just prefer the hoisin sauce you get at top quality restaurants in the US and UK. Take Beijing duck and pancakes, and US hoisin sauce, and I think I'd die of a heart attack next week.

Your guess is as good as mine. But, I expect I'll be over there sometime in the next week or so. I can ask why they don't do Peking Duck when I'm there. They still have tons of excellent dishes though, and the place is packed with mostly Chinese customers.

I will definitely keep that in mind--thanks!^

I just heard from a frined another recommendation: Quanjude.

Moondog and mothers, what are your opinions?

The Qianmen location is the most famous Peking Duck restaurant in the world. Even though I'm a big fan of their product (compared to some of the other places discussed here) and I find the droves of junket tours and accompanying hooplah downright annoying, for better or for worse, it's effectively the benchmark by which all other duck restaurants are measured.

Why hard on western stomachs?
 

I keep seeing posts about the duck being hard on Western stomachs. Why is that? I've had duck a few times, granted not Peking duck, but it never bothered me. Is it specific to the way Peking duck is prepared?

At least insofar as my stomach is concerned, it's true. From what I've read/learned, the preparation has little to with it. But, it's certainly not going to kill you. (The same goes for the 3a 串 in Sanlitun.)

Good analysis!^ Thanks.

Xiaowangfu: two BIG thumbs up
 

I'm in Beijing now and have had duck twice so far.

Last night I joined the esteemed Moondog (and his cousin) at Xiaowangfu and, though it is not a duck restaurant, their duck was outstanding!

This afternoon I decided I had to go to Quanjude (Wanfujing location), given its status as the standard, the quintessential duck joint, etc. It was fine and pretty decent, but let me tell you . . . it was beyond oily! The level of oiliness was astonishing!!!:eek: Even my Chinese dining companion was turned off by its excessive oiliness.

So I don't know if that's what makes it "authentic" or not, but it's certainly how they seem to do it at Quanjude. It's not what I prefer.

Qiaowangfu was not only much less oily, but actually tasted better to me. The sauce was nice and, skin was crisper and the meat was very tender. So, based on my 2 different restaurants samples, I'm going to side with Moondog and agree that Xiaowangfu is the winning place to eat Peking Duck whilst in Beijing! ^

I'm hoping to try one more place before I leave. Will comment on it if I do.

Beijing duck restaurants
 

A friend of a friend has told me that Bianyifang (2 Chongwai Dajie, 010-67120505) has the best duck in Beijing. I did a search of this forum (I remember an old duck thread) and didn't see it mentioned. Perhaps the spelling is different?

What say the experts? FWIW, this fellow ranked Quan Jude as number two.

It should be "pianyifang" 便宜坊.

Thanks, but I don't see any flyertalk references to "pianyifang," either.

So what say folks? The place seems to have been around forever, so it should be more widely known.