Crafty Carving

It would just be downright wrong to not partake of the national dish while in China. So, even though I'd already had one of the famed lazy susan meals that day, I insisted that JX take me for the real-deal Peking duck experience.

There was no question where we were going, as far as JX was concerned: Quan Ju De, a famous Peking duck chain restaurant based in Beijing.

It's very possible that there were other items on the menu other than the roast duck dish, but I honestly can't recall A. what they might have been or B. what we even had for an appetizer (it was probably something tofu-related, as many of our dishes were that week). Why we even ordered an appetizer is beyond me, as you'll soon understand how extraneous it was.

Still, any other menu items would be sadly reduced to a footnote at a place like this. Once we were seated, it was hard to avert my gaze from the parade of duck chefs (?) coming out of the kitchen one by one. Tall, quiet gentleman pushed their respective carts holding bronze, shiny whole ducks to salivating diners. While we waited, a server brought over the accoutrements
that are essential to experiencing Peking duck—a dish of hoisin sauce,
a dish of julienned scallions, and a plate of rice flour pancakes.Once our chef arrived at our table, he silently and effortlessly began to carve.

First, he lopped off several pieces of skin and fat (only a tiny bit of meat was attached). These pieces were meant as appetizers, only to be dipped in the hoisin sauce and not to be wrapped in the pancakes or garnished with onion, as is customary with the meat. At first, it seemed bizarre to just eat pieces of crispy skin and fat, but then I came to my senses—what could be better than eating straight crispy skin and fat!? And so we did. The pieces gave a little crunch as the fat and small amount of meat melted away in my mouth. While it's not exactly the kind of thing a person should eat on a regular basis, it is one of those dining experiences that stays with you for a long time (in this case, two years).

After we ate our fair share of fat pieces, it was time for the meat. But we did not eat without first getting quite a show. The carver, with the most delicate sleight of hand ever executed, took on each quadrant of the duck with total perfection. Perhaps it's all muscle memory to this guys by now, but it was sure impressive from where I was sitting. The meat was pink, juicy and tender, and each piece had a panel of that fantastic skin attached.

If you're lucky enough to be in Shanghai, visit Quan Ju De at:

4F, 786 Huaihai Zhonglu
Shanghai, China
+ 021-5404-5799

—AK