Peking Duck in Westchester?

[Paris76]

I was wondering if anybody knew a restaurant that makes a great Peking Duck? I use to go to a place in Chester Heights, can't think of the name, but they changed since I've been there a few years ago....Thanks!!

[biga290]

I have enjoyed the Peking Duck a number of times at Ray's Cafe in Rye Brook and Aberdeen in White Plains. I have not tried the dish at Central Seafood but I have seen it served there to others and it looked very appealing.

[BAFU]

Central Seafood on Central Ave (next to Best Buy) does an OK Peking Duck. Not as good as Peking Duck House in NYC but still quite decent

[Paris76]

Thanks also Bafu

[menton1]

Americanized Chinese food, of which category this dish falls into, has fallen out of fashion these days. It's widely available, but just not at a quality place that cares about food. So you're only likely to find it at the takeouts and the "old school" places of the Egg Foo Young and Chow Mein ilk.

If you want to try something a little more "in" these days, the Crispy Duck at Watermoon/Rye is damn good IMHO.

[Marge]

Wow, Peking Duck is Americanized? How about if we call it Beijing Duck?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peking_Duck
Sorry I don't know of anyplace in Westchester to get a great one, but I recently had a great one at Chef Ho's in Manhattan--guess I'm not fashionable....

[Paris76]

Cool I will have to go check Watermoon. But I guess I'd have to go to Peking Duck House in Chinatown if I am really in the gotta have it mood.

[ltlevy]

Respectfully, I think you are wrong on both counts. I've seen quite a few nostalgic posts on the Manhattan and Outer Boroughs boards about some of the old American Chinese restaurants and where to find certain foods. King Yum in Queens is still thriving under the same ownership for, I believe, over 50 years.

With regards to Peking Duck, while what you will get in most restaurants is Americanized, the dish itself is authentic. Please see the movie "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" to see the chef actually going through the steps of making it, including inflating the duck to separate the skin from the fat before roasting. Most restaurants will just be serving you roast duck (i.e. non-inflated) with the Peking Duck accompaniments. In fact, most restaurants, including Peking Duck House, do not carve the duck properly (i.e. skin only and no meat). I've been told a story by my wife of a restaurant in Toronto that knew how to do all aspects of Peking Duck, but if one non-Asian person was at the table, the carving would include meat as there were complaints that they were not getting any meat. She always threatened to make me wait outside while the carving was going on, but alas, the restaurant is either no more or has moved and we haven't found the reincarnation.