Chinese duck menu

[Katy]

Does anyone know of a Chinese restaurant in the San Gabriel valley that offers a special all duck menu? The LA Times had a review of it a few years back and, of course, now that we get around to trying it we can't remember where it was.

Thanks,
Katy

[Jerome]

Quanjude. It's gone. It was great. Six appetizers, eight dishes, all different preparation methods, 3 desserts, fed 12 easy, for $168. do a search on this website for discussions.

[vidia]

I got the guide to chinese restaurants in LA that listed Quan Ju De and was so disappointed to find out it had closed. Any Hounds know of another place(s) for good Peking duck?

[bigred]

If you can bear a trip to the suburbs, you might like Peking duck at China Teahouse on Sepulveda Blvd. in Torrance. Very near Del Amo Shopping Center.

They serve the "sandwich" course first, then the rest of the roast duck; no duck soup. Still, it's hard to beat the price, which was $7.99 last time I was there. Be aware that this is their "come-on" dish and they expect that you'll order a few additional entrees.

Ironically, of all the duck I've eaten in Beijing, the absolute WORST was at one of the Quanjude franchises. We should have been tipped off by the absence of any native Chinese.

[Jerome]

Did you prefer Bianyifang? what was the problem with quanjude's style of duck?

sign me
curious.

Also, did you eat in the banquet rooms? I found that in the 'masses" rooms there were always plenty of Chinese eating the same food at about 10% of the cost.

[bigred]

One word for my Quanjude experience, Jerome: rancid. And it seemed that it wasn't just the skin part, but the soup, as well, which was unlikely to have been made from exactly the same duck. Ironically, the second (and last) time I went to PF Chang's, a coworker ordered the duck salad and it immediately called to mind my Quanjude experience. Awful. The salad went back to the kitchen and I am forever astonished that any of the hounds recommend that place. It's worth the drive to San Gabriel Valley for Chinese. Unless you're looking for duck in Torrance!

Anyway, we weren't in a banquet room in Quanjude as it was just my boyfriend and I. It was plenty expensive. This was the Wangfujing branch, by the way.

I haven't tried Bianyifang, which I understand employs a different method to prepare the duck from Quanjude. Lucky for me, I've been "adopted" by the Beijing family of a friend and they take us out to the suburbs to their favorite restaurants whenever we are there. Bianyifang is too expensive for them and I always let them choose the restaurants. I wish I could tell you where these places are, but I have never paid enough attention.

[Jerome]

I meant "banquet" room vs the masses room. I haven't been to beijing in years so I don't even know if these distinctions still exist. The prices were much lower in those rooms. But the service was minimal, to be kind, and no ambience. The "banquet room" was where the westerners were herded and the service was much more attentice, often two or three waitstaff per table for the evening.

The famous quanjude was the one on qianmen.

I used to eat quite often at the Rosemead QuanJuDe and I assure you that the duck was not rancid here. And I don't believe that any of the places make the soup out of the stock of the bones you must ordered. It takes hours for the bone stock to cook so it's made out of previous orders carcasses.

[Curt]

"this is their "come-on" dish and they expect that you'll order a few additional entrees"
Actually, they require that you order at least two dinner entrees.

[sc]

I was at Banh Cuon Tay Ho in Rosemead for lunch today for the first time. (Thanks for the previous posts/recommendations on this place; It was quite good!)

Right next door, there's a restaurant (don't remember seeing an english name) that advertised to have peking duck dinner:
3 courses of duck (2 dishes and 1 soup) for $35 and 5 courses (2 extra dishes) for $45.
Curious if it's any good. Has anyone been there?