Pressed Almond Duck

Does anyone know of a decent Chinese Restaurant in Gardena/Torrance that serves pressed duck with real gravy not sweet and sour sauce. OR even decent Chinese Take Out! Thanks.

[Ogawak]

Went to Paul's Kitchen in Downtown LA just south of LIttle Tokyo, a real blast from the past. They offer pressed almond duck both with sweet and sour and with the brown gravy. I opted for the brown gravy, but we're trying the s&s next time. Tasted just like I remembered in my childhood. They also had other old favorites like homyu, egg foo young, etc. Plus they have parking, a real plus in downtown.

With all the great varieties of Chinese food offered in the San Gabriel Valley, this is a nice nostalgic trip back to my childhood. Maybe not "authentic" Chinese, but it's authentically LA chop suey Chinese. Too many of those restaurants have gone away: (the real) Far East, San Kwo Low, Tin Sing, etc.

-----
Paul's Kitchen
1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

[Barbara Ladden]

So good to read this blog again about pressed duck. I went to Paul's Kitchen a few years ago and didn't care for it but after reading your comments, my mouth is watering and I have to try my luck a 2nd time. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing. I'm from Chicago and always looking for the great Chinese food I remember.

-----
Paul's Kitchen
1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

[Ogawak]

Did you go to Paul's Kitchen in Downtown LA or in Monterey Park. The two used to be connected but went into separate ownership, and the food at MP really went "south".

Add: I managed to check some older threads.

I see that you did go to the one in Downtown. Sorry but I don't think it's changed from the last time you went there, but it was the pressed duck I had growing up. Not Haute Cuisine, just nostalgia.

-----
Paul's Kitchen
1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

[boorenda]

By the way, the Paul's Kitchen in monterey park closed down. It's now some kind of pet shop or vet's, i forget. I go to formosa cafe in LA or Chinese Gardens in Monterey Park for almond duck. Unfortunately i live in OC!

-----
Paul's Kitchen
1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Chinese Garden
856 N Garfield Ave, Montebello, CA 90640

[Barbara Ladden]

I think in some cases our memories are better than the food.

[monku]

The confusion is that at Paul's Kitchen downtown the dish is called "Almond Duck" and not "Pressed Duck" as other's have posted and was your misunderstanding on your first visit that disappointed you.

-----
Paul's Kitchen
1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

[Barbara Ladden]

You're right. What I had that time was similar to chunks of something mysterious covered in sawdust. I'll certainly order the Almond Duck next time. Thanks for the info.

[monku]

What you got at Paul's Kitchen was "Almond Duck".

Almond duck is duck meat that's been mixed with flour and baked in a pan. Then it's cut in squares and topped with brown gravy and crushed almonds.

-----
Paul's Kitchen
1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

[Barbara Ladden]

That sounds like what I had, but I'm so curious and hungry for pressed duck, that I either have to go to Chicago or downtown L. A. which is 4 hours closer. Afterwards, I'll write and let you know how it was this time around.

[monku]

Nothing has changed since your visit to Paul's Kitchen 4 years ago and the "Almond Duck" is the same as you had then and as I described now. That's how they've served it for 50+ years.

No need to hear your disappointment again.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/393882

-----
Paul's Kitchen
1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

[monku]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/393882

[mamayama]

Good news! We just had pressed almond duck at a place called Fu Shing in a strip mall on the corner of 182nd Street & Western right on the border of North Torrance & Gardena. It was really yummy like I remembered from Tin Sing.....little squares of fried, pressed duck, covered in brown gravy, almonds (blanched) and green onion slices! They also brought back the pork won ton & have pan fried chow mein! My aunt told me that the old Tin Sing chef is at Fu Shing now and it sure tastes like it! Happy eating!

[MaxCaviar]

Is this the same as the Fu Shing in downtown L.A.? I know they had a Valley location as well and they had this incredible garlic soup that I could never get enough of.

[mamayama]

I'm not sure if this is the same Fu Shing or not. Seems like this one is a mom & pop operation with their kids doing homework in the corner booth. Anyway, we ordered a bunch of stuff for a family dinner and it was all good! Really worth a try. Also the ramen shop next door is amazing. Three of us split a bowl while waiting for our Chinese take-out!

[Chandavkl]

I don't think there's a Fu Shing anywhere downtown unless you're talking about 41st and Broadway in the 'hood. Maybe you're thinking of Fu Ling which was in Chinatown a couple of decades ago.

[ipsedixit]

There's a Fu-Shing in Pasadena. http://www.fu-shing.com/

Not sure that has anything to do with the original post, so sorry for the digression.

[triarts]

new formosa cafe has the best almond duck left in so cal. dewey the owner worked at the far east since his dad was one of the orig partners. pork chow mein with pan fried noodles is one of my other favorites. i have tried almond duck from georgia to saigon. they are on limited work schedule so call them before you go, closed sun and mon. 323 262-2936 2415 caesar chavez close to soto

[jerry200]

O.K. my search for pressed duck led me to Paul's Kitchen. Great place but the pressed duck they have is the kind with brown gravy. The pressed duck of my dreams is the sweet and sour kind. Not where the sweet and sour sauce is just ladled over the pressed duck but is cooked into it in such a way that the whole thing gets carmelized and a little crispy on top.

The search continues!

[Barbara Ladden]

I've been looking for old fashioned Pressed Duck for years. I ask the manager in every Cantonese restaurant I go to about it and I've been told "it's too much trouble to make." Last time I had it was at Eddie's in Cathedral City, 2hrs. from L. A. It's hard to find authentic Pressed Duck.

[OCEllen]

Dating myself OLD but the first time I had 'pressed duck' was in Trader Vic's in Chicago about 1959 as a little kid....great food and great service as I remember!

[MaxCaviar]

Hah, the last time I had it was at TV's too, but in Hollywood around 1992. I loved that dish. The new incarnation of TV Hollywood is set to open next year.

[AnnieAmie]

The Hong Kong Restaurant next to the Hong Kong Deli at Carson and Figueroa directly south of Harbor General Hospital. They only serve their pressed duck with the brown gravy. I've had them substitute sweet and sour sauce and add a few almonds which they've never minded doing for us. Try the deli for good char shu and dim sum! Its a great little spot with some great food.

[doctom]

Try Tin Sing Restaurant, 1523 West Redondo Beach Boulevard Gardena, 90247, phone [phone]. A "China-meshi" sort of place -- if it still open, I'd guess they would have it.

Doctom

[OldieButGoodie]

Sadly, Tin Sing Closed down a while ago.

[pbphil]

Tin Sing (on Redondo Beach Blvd, in Gardena, as I recall) had a TREMENDOUS almond pressed duck. I moved to Torrance in 1967 and throughout (North Torrance) high school, my family would always go to Tin Sing's for "three number 2 dinners", always, and I would get almond pressed duck every time. Even for many years, we go would go there whenever I would come home on leave in the Marine Corps. I guess about 5 years ago, Tin Sings closed. I understand they were trying to re-open as a drive through maybe someday, but nothing yet, unfortunately. I have lived in many countries, ate in many Chinese food restaurants around the US and overseas, but I have NEVER been able to find anything like Tin Sing's almond pressed duck (hence why I decided today to search the Internet for any other place I might try in LA / Orange county).

[pbphil]

It has been since Tin Sing closed that I had almond pressed duck. I tried the places I found when I made my post back in 2008, but no one had APD like Tin Sing. Just read the post about Fu Shing... Just went and picked up an order, and sure enough, finally I found APD like Tin Sing used to make. It's a pretty large order, and was about $9 including tax. Finally.

-----
Fu Shing Restaurant
4152 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90037

Fu Shing Restaurant
1838 W 182nd St, Torrance, CA 90504

[AnnieAmie]

Hi! If you know the Torrance/Gardena area, look for the Hong Kong Deli just south of Harbor General Hospital. Its on Carson before the 110 Freeway. Right in the same parking lot as the deli, is a large Chinese restaurant. Its directly across the driveway from the deli. You can't miss it. I just don't remember the name of it.
They make pressed duck there with a brown gravy. I ordered it but had them skip the brown gravy and slip some sweet and sour sauce over it. They even sprinkled some almonds on the dish for me as I was just dying to have Pressed Almond Duck! I love that dish! But what's on the menu is what you want.. pressed duck with gravy.

[OldieButGoodie]

The name of the restaurant is Hong Kong Garden Restaurant. It's actually on Vermont right behind the gas station.

The Far East Cafe will be re-opening soon in Little Tokyo. My friend who is one of the owners said then menu while being expanded will carry many of the old favorites including almond duck.
There is a place called China Garden on Garfield across the street from Montebello Golf Course that carries almond duck.

Oh my goodness, Far East. What a blast from the past. Our family used to go there all the time for banquets and such. How fun. They had the best Almond Duck... Tell your friend we are looking forward to their re-opening! Thanks!

Not in Gardena/Torrance, but this is the only place I know that serves Almond Duck, and they do a pretty good job at it.

Wong's Chinese Restaurant
10642 Westminster Ave
Garden Grove, CA 92843-4912
[phone]

Thank you, I may have to travel for this. None around here,apparently! Again, thank you for the info.

[boorenda]

Hey Nate,
Any other reccommendations for dishes at Wongs? I live out in Tustin and although I go to New Formosa for almond duck occasionally, its pretty far. I like anything resembling the old Far East/ chinese cantonese style stuff. I have been to the place that took over Far East and the food sucked!
thanks!

[ChefRoux]

The Egg Foo Yong and House Special Chow Fun are also excellent at Wong's

The Egg Foo Yong Lunch Special consists of Egg Flower Soup, Crispy Fried Noodles
Egg Roll, Shrimp Won Tons, Entree and choice of Fried or Steamed Rice.
All this for $7.99 (before 4 pm).

CR

-----
Chow Fun
686 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

What's pressed duck? Is it like roasteed duck that you find at Cantonese bbq places or peking duck?

[The Chowhound Team]

Hi Angie. Since your question is not restricted to the LA area we ask that you put it up again on our General Topics message board, (see link below to take you there) where these types of topics are discussed.

Please, no replies here.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/gener...

Sorry my intention was to figure out the original poster's question so I might help her to locate a place in LA who serves them. I'm Chinese but never heard of pressed duck, so was just wondering.......

Thank you, Angie. Still looking for good Chinese Food in Gardena/Torrance. I am used to Cantonese, but any will do. Can you help? Almond duck-pressed duck same thing.

Why don't you try Paul's Kitchen in Monterey Park on Atlantic Blvd. They have the old style chinese food with pressed almond duck and gravy. I had it about a month ago, and it's they old style, the way they use to make it decades ago.
Professor Mochi

Thanks for explaining. I have not eaten nor seen pressed almond duck before, but when I'm in Torrance I would go to Moo's. It's not Cantonese. It's more of Korean Chinese so try their Chow Ma Mein (you can order dry or with soup), fish dumplings, and a cold chicken dish which name might be Shan Dong Chicken.

Moo's Restaurant
4817 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA
310-542-5270

Thank you for your kindness in replying. I will try the fusion Chinese/Korean? Appreciate it.

I love Paul's Kitchen! Yes and they have the best Hom Yu... I forgot about them... Thanks!