Peking Duck and Lunch Set

Haven't update this blog for some time, but I'm back now.  After the crazy year-end eating in 2018, life seemed to have gone back to normal. Well! It becomes crazy again when I took my sister for her birthday lunch last week. My aim was to have Peking Duck, but the lunch set menu looked very attractive. So we decided to give our stomach a challenge - set lunch + half Peking Duck.

There are many Peking Garden around in Hong Kong. But only the one at Star House has half a Peking Duck available. Others has to order for a full duck. Even so, a full duck here is cheaper than the Peking Garden at Alexandra House. Although the one at AH has the highest rating from tourists, the one at SH here is newly renovated and has harbour view. So it is still one of my most favourite restaurants. 

Half Peking Duck

If you want to view the duck cutting show, there is a show window where you can view the restaurant. Since Peking Duck is a high demand item, so duck cutting is on-going most of the time.

The pancakes were separated by a thin slice of paper so they won't stick together. What a nice improvement! 

This lunch set menu is only available here. I don't see this at other Peking Garden. In fact I notice the menus and prices varies among different Peking Garden although they all operated under Maxims Group. I always love the menu and price here.

Shrimps and Spare Ribs

Don't assume that the dish size is smaller when it is in a lunch set. They are of the same size of a regular order.

Al dante shrimps - lovely!

Crab Soup

Deep Fried Small Yellow Fish

The regular dish has three, but this is a two-person set, so it becomes two (understandable)! Very crispy, delicious!

Millet Congee served with Pan Fried Rice Cake

This is kind of high fiber dessert. But the pan fried rice cakes were too hard, I had to soak them in the congee in order to make them soften and easier for the mouth.

The vegetable dumplings were too plain to be photographed. 

Peking Garden

3/F, Star House, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Lunch Set for Two - HK$328

Half Peking Duck - HK$240

tea, pickles, 10% service charge

final bill - HK$691 (US$89)

Duck Restaurant

Found a duck restaurant in Wanchai. Quite an interesting and unique restaurant featuring duck and wine. If you are interested in Peking duck and any other duck dishes, and enjoy a glass of wine with food, this is an ideal restaurant for you.  Pinot Duck is located in Wanchai, not far away from MTR.  As its name denotes, the menu is full of duck. Although it serves Chinese food, the restaurant interior is very western style.  The menu is different from any traditional Beijing restaurant and its selling point is Peking Duck X Wine.  So it has quite a wide and good range of wine for your choice.

For lunch, there are sets ranging from HK$138 with a starter, main course and a drink. You can opt to add a little fee for a soup or salad. Bottle of water is free of charge.  

Starter - Duck Wrap in rice paper (Vietnamese style). Well presented, with cucumber inside and cabbage outside.  

Starter - Duck Wrap in steamed bread (Chinese style). Also very well presented, with cucumber and slices of green onion.

For the main course, my friend had a cold cut while I preferred something hot. However we decided to share everything.  

Duck Slices with Cold Noodle

Thick slices of duck meat. Nicely marinated, very delicious. Amount is just right. Not too heavy, and not too oily. Yummy and healthy!

Duck Meat Fried Rice

Very colourful with big lumps of duck meat. Lovely - I like it! I must say, this is a great place for duck lovers.

The restaurant is nicely designed and it is quite spacious between tables so everyone would have a relaxing eating environment. The waiters are friendly. We asked for a dinner menu for reference and found 90% of the dishes are duck - roast Peking duck, 八寶鴨 baked duck, duck soup, duck noodle, duck rice, duck...everything. The waiter suggested us to order half duck for 2-3 people and a full duck for 4 people or more. The cost of one Peking duck is HK$500.

Set Lunch: HK$138 (US17.8) + 10% service charge.

The set lunch includes free bottled water and a drink (coffee or tea)

Can opt to add HK$30 for a soup/salad

Pinot Duck

18 Luen Fat Street

Wanchai, Hong Kong

There is one in Stanley Plaza as well.

Hong Kong Food Blog - Duck Restaurant

Beijing House in Wanchai

The Beijing House recently opened a new restaurant in Hopewell Centre which is nearby my home, so I decided to go and try. Unexpected, the food came abnormally fast. All 6 dishes arrived within 5 minutes after we placed the order. 

The Beijing House claimed to be very authentic and all ingredients and chefs are from Beijing. Indeed, the food taste were all good, although the food temperature were relatively warm, rather than hot.  

Black Fungus 涼伴黑木耳

Black fungus is a healthy starter. It is not only unique to Beijing food, it is available in Shanghai, Sichuan and most of the northern cuisine restaurants.  You may notice there is a fish tang under the table, and we could see fishes swimming.

Stir Fried Daoxiao Noodles 刀削面

Daoxiao Noodles is a local characteristic traditional pasta of Datong City in Shanxi Province. It is one of the “Top Ten Chinese Noodles” popular in northern China. The operation process: the flour and lumps, the left hand to lift the dough, the right hand to take the arc knife, the surface one by one to cut into the boiling water pot. If you eat this in Shanxi, you may even see the chef's live demonstration. A very interesting process.

Stir Fried Shrimps 清炒蝦仁

Beijing has no coastline, so we believe these are river water shrimps. In fact, the simplest cooking method requires the highest cooking skill and the freshest ingredients. This is a live example of such. Very well done!

Stir Fried Lettuce 清炒萵筍

If I would have to translate the Chinese name directly, I would say it is some kind of bamboo shoot. But the menu says lettuce.  I believe this is some kind of vegetable available in north China only. As in Hong Kong we seldom could find this in the market.  Again, simple cooking method, fresh ingredient and high cooking skill.  Simply stir fried and dished up with transparent gravy.  Some restaurants like to cut it into thin and long slices, but the Beijing Home cut it into small lumps - another feeling in the mouth, which is good!

Beijing Duck 北京填鴨

Beijing Duck is the signature dish. We can order one at HK$400 or half at HK$210. We wanted to try more dishes, so we ordered for half. Although it came in 5 minutes only, the breads were hot and fresh from the steamer. Since we ordered for half, we lack the fun of having the chef do the duck cutting demonstration in front of us.

Beijing Dumplings白菜餃子

(Did not take photo)

It was just lumps of white, hence did not take photo. There were 8 of them, so each of us can share 2.

The Beijing Home decoration has quite an old Beijing feel.

The general dining experience here is fair to good. Generally fast is better than slow. But when all 6 dishes arrive within 5 minutes, our table seemed too small to accomodate them and that encouraged us to eat fast in order to get rid of some of the empty dishes. I would say if the dishes arrived within longer intervals, we would have more time to enjoy the taste of the foods.

The food menu has many items but some of the names you won't know what they are, even with the English description.  Desserts are not quite traditional. They have caramelized bananas/apples....a long list of caramelized items but lack of some of the most traditional Beijing dessert such as rolling donkey or 碗豆黄.

Beijing Home

7/F Hopewell Centre

Wanchai, Hong Kong

Total cost: HK$820 (US$105) for 4 people (including tea and 10% service charge)

In fact, there was a set menu for 4 costing HK$1,028 but we preferred to go a la carte so we can eat the right amount and choice of food that we want. And it ended up cheaper as well!

Hong Kong Food Blog - Beijing Home

Peking Duck in Hong Kong

I don't usually eat lunch. And I don't usually eat heavy lunch. But today I've broke all my rules. My boss took me out for a farewell lunch with an overseas colleague.

I need to fast for 40 hours after this lunch. Anyway, let me talk about the Peking Duck we had. Peking Garden, the one we went at Alexandra House has been highly rated by visitors. And they are one of top producers of Peking Ducks in Hong Kong.

The duck was included in our set menu, but I noticed the price is HK$380 (US$48.7) if you place a standalone order.

Look, the presentation was not bad at all. Cucumber, sauce and bread were all laid out nicely. They even brought the duck to the table for our photo taking before cutting it.

You may wonder what that is. Well, espresso. A Chinese restaurant serving espresso? That's correct. I have visited this restaurant many times but never know about it. I was a bit shocked when the waiter offered the service. Probably they only offer this to expacts and not locals.

Their menu is very comprehensive if you want to go a la carte. However if you want to save time and effort (of course not saving money), there are set menus available.

Here's the set menu we had for today.

Braised spare ribs with black vinegar sauce

Sea blubber

Sauteed prawns and scallops with cashewnut in hot garlic sauce

Braised shark's fin soup with crab meat

BBQ Peking Duck

Pan fried sliced fish

Sauteed seasonal vegetable

Fresh fruit platter

Peking Garden

Shop B1, First Basement Floor, Alexandra House, Central, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852-2526-6456

Hong Kong Food Blog - Peking Duck

Boneless Roast Chicken + Peking Dumplings

Lunch date: June 27, 2009
Occasion: My birthday lunch
Number of People: Four
Cost: HK$385(US$49.4), including 10% service charge
Restaurant name: Peking Garden Restaurant
Restaurant address: 3/F Star House, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon
Restaurant telephone: 852-27358211
Anna's comment: I pick Peking Garden to do my birthday lunch because I really love the boneless chicken here. The same chicken here (HK$75/whole) is far cheaper than their shop in Central (HK$80/half). So we decided to travel a longer way to come here.

Boneless Chicken Shandong Style 山東燒鷄

served with special receipe sauce - very yummy !!!

Fried Ramen Peking Style 北京炒拉面 Peking Dumplings (served with vinegar) 北京餃子 Juicy Bun (Served with vinegar) 小籠包 Vegetarian Bun 素菜包Desserts

Chinese Pancake 豆沙窩餅

with Lotus Seed Paste Stuffing

Yellow Bean Cake 清宮碗豆黃

Receipe from the Imperial Kitchen of Qing Dynasty

Hong Kong Chinese Food - Beijing Food

Boneless Roast Chicken

Lunch date: January 31, 2009
Occasion: A continuation of my Chinese New Year fine dining
Number of People: Two
Cost: HK$321(US$41.2), including 10% service charge
Restaurant name: Peking Garden Restaurant
Restaurant address: Shop B1, First Basement Floor, Alexandra House, Central
Restaurant telephone: 852-2526 6456
Anna's comment: This particular Peking Garden is always voted by tourists for its outstanding services. I made some red pocket money during the new year, so I took my sister here and we both agreed that the services here is extremely good. The food here is also very good. To be honest, I come here specially for the boneless roast chicken which is highly recommended.

My favourite Boneless Roast Chicken

我的至愛- 山東付籬集燒鷄

This boneless roast chicken is always my number one choice whenever I go to Peking Garden. The fried noodle 炒拉面 and dim sum here are also very good.

Dessert: Almond Tea 杏仁茶

Dessert: Walnut Soup 核桃露

Hong Kong Food Blog - Boneless Roast Chicken

Peking Duck Dinner

Dinner date: November 5, 2008
Occasion: Family gathering
Number of People: Six
Cost: HK$747 (US$95.7) inclusive 10% service charge
Restaurant name: Quanjude 全聚德
Restaurant address: 4/F, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852-2884-9088
Anna's comment: My first time of having Peking duck at Quanjude in Hong Kong. Not sure if the duck chef is from Beijing, but we were all happy with the duck - crispy skin and meat without much fat. We even took the rest of the duck home to make duck congee.

Peking Duck (HK$280 for one whole duck)

北京填鴨 - 皮脆肉嫩

Peking Duck wrapping breads, warm and soft

Duck cutting in front of customers
Soup with Beancurd Sheets and Salted Pork
咸肉湯
Cucumber 涼伴青瓜

Stir Fried Prawns with Egg 蝦仁炒蛋

(this is a Cantonese dish, but widely available in Hong Kong)

Copy Crab - Stir Fried Egg White with Dry Scallop 賽螃蟹

Yellow Bean Pudding - Imperial Dessert from Qing Dynasty

碗豆黃

Hong Kong Chinese Food - Peking Duck

Chung Yeung Festival Lunch

Lunch date: October 7, 2008
Number of People: Two
Occasion: Chung Yeung Festival Holiday lunch
Cost: HK$200 (US$25.6), inclusive of 10% service charge
Restaurant name: The Queen’s Palace Restaurant
Restaurant address: 27/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852- 2591 6338
Anna's comment: We found a new restaurant opened nearby our house, so we went on the Chung Yeung Festival holiday. Reasonably priced and the foods and services are fine. The view here is also very nice.

Braised Noodle with Chicken 嫩鷄煨面

Juicy Bun 小籠包

Green Onion Roll 葱油餅

Pan Fried Jiaozi 煎鍋貼

Sweet Pancake with Red Bean Pastry 豆沙窩餅

Hong Kong Chinese Food - Shanghai / Beijing dim sum

My Beijing Food Tour Continuation - Part 2

Lunch date: January 5, 2008
Occasion: Lunch buffet
Number of People: Two
Cost: HK$62 (US$7.9) per person, inclusive of 10% service charge – one price, all you can eat
Restaurant name: Quanjude
Restaurant address: 4/F, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852-2884-9088
Anna's comment: Not sure if this is the same Quanjude as the one from Beijing, but it sells Peking duck, Sichuan, Shanghai and Cantonese cuisine. Buffet is served during lunch hour daily. You can pick your food directly from the buffet table or place orders.

View my Beijing Food Tour 2007

Spicy Chicken - Sichuan Style 口水鷄

Cucumber Preserved with Smashed Garlic　醬拍青瓜
Eat All You Can Eat　任點任食

I thought I have had at least 10 varieties
Red Bean Pudding　桂花紅豆糕
Hong Kong Food Blog - Beijing Food