Peking Duck pancakes in Manhattan Chinatown

[gotobednow]

So my husband and I love going out to Flushing for Chinese...especially SPICY & TASTY. While we're out there, we always start with a mini-Peking Duck pancake for $1 on Main Street before settling in at Spicy & Tasty. We really love the thick, spongy pancakes, but can't find them elsewhere. I have two questions that I'd love help with.

1) Why aren't there any places in Manhattan Chinatown that do the $1 duck pancakes for people who don't want a big sit-down Peking Duck feast??? Are they out there and I'm just passing them by?

2) Has anyone found nice thick and spongy pancakes for Peking Duck in Manhattan Chinatown?

[LaLaLisa]

They have Peking Duck pancakes at Vanessa's on Eldridge for $2.50 I believe - the thicky, awesome spongy kind. I know some people have issue with Vanessa's Dumplings and I agree - not my favorite - but the pancakes are great, and huge!

[Lau]

its totally different than what the OP is looking for fyi

[kathryn]

Vanessa's puts Peking Duck inside of a SESAME pancake.
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2008/07/dumplings-and-sesame-pancake-sandwiches-vanessas-dumpling-house-chinatown-nyc.html

OP looking for for this, whichi s actually more of a peking duck BUN:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roboppy/...

[dan.assael]

Just a couple of days ago, I had an absolutely delicious Peking Duck served on those thick spongy pancakes at Hsin Wong on Bayard Street, a few steps off of Mott.

[hlbones]

I rarely get out to Flushing, but for a $1 Peking duck sandwich I'll brave the train trip. So, where on Main Street are these Peking duck sandwiches?

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Main Street
111 E 22nd St, New York, NY 10010

[Lau]

its a part of corner 28 restaurant on main and 40th rd:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/corner-28-flushing
http://www.yelp.com/biz/peking-duck-s...

what else are you trying to eat while you're there? the peking duck bun won't be enough, its like a small appetizer, i could eat alot of those things

btw take the LIRR out there (15 mins) and don't forget to get city pass not the regular ticket (only $3.50 each way)

[hlbones]

Thanks, Lau. Who knows what else I'll eat? As in any new neighborhood, I'll wander around and see what excites my taste buds. Cuy, anybody?

[Lau]

well how many people are going to be with?

[erica]

One of the supermarkets north of Canal Street used to sell these at the prepared food in the front of the store (using the western entrance) counter for $1. This was the supermarket that runs from east to west through the block to not the one on the corner. (They both begin with "D" and I always confuse the names.) I have not had the duck in a couple of years so have no idea if they still sell it.

[squid kun]

Sounds like Deluxe Food Market, with entrances on Mott and Elizabeth. Never had the duck - thanks for the tip. The other "D" place may have been Dynasty at Hester and Elizabeth, now a branch of Hong Kong Supermarket.

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Deluxe Food Market
79 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

Hong Kong Supermarket
157 Hester St, New York, NY 10013

[erica]

Yes, Deluxe Food! At the prepared food counter area near Mott St. entrance.

I must have heard about it from a tip here..when I went back the last time they no longer had these, but that was about two years ago. Maybe we should start a petition, or barrage them with requests!

[naschmitz]

There's a place on Eldridge St. and Broome St. called The Dumpling House. I can't remember if the pancakes are a $1 though... a bank breaking $2, I seem to remember. They are killer though!!

[Chandavkl]

I think Flushing is the only place in the country that has individual duck pancakes. Certainly haven't seen it in Los Angeles or San Francisco, or for that matter, Vancouver or Toronto.

[theAVE]

We always go to Peking DUck on Mott Street. The line can be obnoxious, but the duck pancakes are delicious!

[berna]

Hoy Wong (81 Mott) serves beautiful puffy steamed buns with their peking duck, but you'll have to order the whole duck.

[kathryn]

The stand you are speaking of uses a different kind of wrapping than traditional Peking duck. They are he ye bao, aka water lily pad buns. Usage of them to wrap Peking Duck is more commonly found on the West Coast. I would call them more of a bun than a pancake.

I don't know of anywhere in Manhattan Chinatown that sells the Peking Duck as a single serving on the street, much less in a thick, fluffy steamed bun rather than a thin pancake wrapper.

You can find similar sandwiches/steamed bun dishes around town but it's not 100% the same as Peking duck in a water lily pad bun. These include the pork buns at Momofuku Noodle Bar/Ssam Bar/Milk Bar, pork buns at Hakata Ippudo, various bun sandwiches at Mantao Sandwiches, whole wheat buns at Shang (which I do not recommend), and "gua bao" at Temple Snacks in Flushing:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/615126

If you are looking for the quick hit of the $1 Duck Bun you find in Flushing, but in Manhattan, you will be sorely disappointed.

As to where to buy steamed buns in water lily pad form... the more common kind of bun you find in the freezer section of Asian super markets are thicker mantou-style buns. I think MMRuth did find them at the Hong Kong supermarket in Chinatown a while ago. They're usually in the freezer section so you can steam them at home. You can also try your hand at making them from scratch at home.

Where to find steamed buns?:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/480922

[MMRuth]

Yes - I did - the one that had the fire - I'm guessing they haven't reopened yet but I think they have other stores. I haven't tried steaming them yet, so I don't know how they taste.

Making them was easier than I had expected:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/543857

There are also a couple of other Chinatown sources in one of the first posts in that thread.

[kobetobiko]

I believe at Red Egg you can order a platter of duck bun. It comes with 5 or 6 buns with roast duck meat inside.

You can get the lotus bun at Hong Kong Supermarket, Deluxe Food Market, and a few other grocery stores.