Peaktop - Brief Review

[Fwagra]

We were 9 at Peaktop on Sunday night.

Oh boy, is this place good. Best Peking Duck I have had, and I have had a lot. (I grew up with it hanging in the laundry room). What made the PD so good: freshly made pancakes, rather than grocery-store springroll wraps. Less fat (but still some) than usual. I don't like eating thick, white layers of duckfat. No, this stuff was extra crispy and good. And, there was a lot of meat too.

But, Peking Duck is just the beginning. Stir-fried pea shoot leaves, for $12 an order; delicious. BBQ'd pork was excellent, and very lean. Every piece a winner: no need to pick through the pile for that special slice! Salt & pepper shrimp were good to very good; nice, fresh shrimp that were not overcooked. We tried the suckling pig, but I just don't think it's my thing: it was porky tasting, if you will. Just not for me.

We loved this place. It was $35 all-in per person, for Peking Duck with all the trimmings. Better duck than Lai Wah Heen, for half the price. Excellent. Go now.

[eaterjt]

the next time you go to the markham location, ask for the roast chicken. in cantonese, it's 'diu siu gai', roughly translated as 'hung roasted chicken'. this will be *the* best chicken you've had in your lifetime. succulent. meaty. moist. half a chicken is around $10. i go to markham peaktop probably every 2 weeks/once a month and i live in the west end.
if you like chinese preserved sausage, they make these in-house. they have amazing congee too if you're in the area around lunch. all the chinese desserts are made in-house as well. be sure to try the sweetened tofu.

[Fwagra]

Thanks for the advice. I believe that I saw these chickens; they are pale (compared to Peking Duck). I will try it, for sure. And, did I not see some people order Chinese sausage fried rice? I love Chinese sausage (Lap Cheu?), and will definitely want to try that too. Again, thanks for the tips.

[eaterjt]

It's not the pale chickens (yellow skinned). The skin is really really dark red, darker than the duck skin.
If you like sticky rice, I would suggest getting the chinese sausage fried sticky rice.

I was there yesterday for lunch and they have a lunch special where you get a free HK-style tea/coffee with one of the entrees. All the entrees are under $10 and are generous portions. Some entrees listed include pan-fried turnip cake (XO flavour or singapore style) and seafood baked rice.

[Royaljelly]

Hey Fwagra, I forgot to ask if you tried the other new Peking Duck resto in the same plaza called King of Kings. I haven't seen any reviews yet, only that the front signage says they're "specialty" is Peking duck.

[skylineR33]

Hi Royaljelly, I have tried "King of king" 's Peking duck, mediocre. Peaktop is better. Been to King of King's a couple of time, they have some good value peking duck and lobster combo dinner set, however food is not very good there ...

[Fwagra]

Jelly, I have not tried anything else in the mall. But I have heard good things about Ding Tai Fun, the Shanghai Dim Sum house there.

Frankly, I just want to meander about the whole plaza, and eat at every place!

Feeling very grateful for our wonderful and diverse city tonight.

[Pincus]

These are all in the Markham plaza?

[acd123]

Ding Tai Fung is awesome. Best soup dumplings and beef/green onion pancakes. Sometimes we make the trek from midtown just for the dumplings.

[jennjen18]

We like it here too. Either location is just too far for me ... but whenever we go, we love it. :) On special occasions, we make the trek to get their BBQ takeouts.

[Royaljelly]

We go to the markham location quite often too and enjoy it a lot. While they don't do any amazing seafood, their other dishes like stir frys and BBQ meats are pretty good. Perhaps their lack of high end seafood is why it doesn't get mentioned much on this board from the other Chinese foodie afficionado's (compared to O'Mei, Emperor, etc).

[LovesToEat]

Which location did you go to - Vaughan or Markham?

Thanks!

[Fwagra]

We were at the Markham location.