Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, Huai Hai Zhong Road, Shanghai

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, Huai Hai Zhong Road, Shanghai
Sunday 14 May, 2006

This famous Beijing duck restaurant chain was established back in 1864. The Shanghai restaurants in this chain (there are two) are very crowded and you can expect to wait for an hour or so in peak times to score a table - but it is worth the wait. The alternative is to go just outside the peak times - we arrived today at 1.30pm for lunch and were shown straight to a table.

You enter on Huai Hai Zhong Road and are greeted by a hostess on the ground floor wearing traditional costume and the most bizarre looking shoes - she directs you to a lift where you catch a ride to the 4th floor. There is a waiting area on the 4th floor and more hostesses to greet you.

The size of this restaurant is a sight to behold. Think football field and it is rumoured that 1000 ducks a day are roasted, expertly sliced and served.

Ever since its establishment, the restaurant has stayed true to the traditional method of roasting duck: the duck is hung on a pole over a wood fire until the skin turns golden brown and crisp.

The menu is fascinating and worth a look as there are lots of pictures and interesting terminology e.g. 'aquatic products' which lists all of the seafood dishes. We ordered peking duck and a couple of side orders of steamed vegetables with mushroom & bok choy. Half the fun is the anticipation of your duck arriving at your table with its own personal trolley and slicer. Watching the slicer skillfully cutting the duck next to your table is quite an experience and you can't help but be impressed by their hand movements while preparing it. The ducks may look oily, but they aren't and the duck (skin + meat) just melt in your mouth. You are provided with pancakes, and your own side dishes of peking sauce and shallots.

Once the peking duck was finished we were served a clear duck soup and conjee to finish off. For this feast we paid 50 Yuan ($10 AUS) each.

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant - 786 Huai Hai Zhong Road, Shanghai - 86 21 5403 7286

http://www.shanghai.quanjude.com/