Da Dong Wows Crowds with Crisp Peking Duck and Modern Cuisine

This article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of the Beijinger as part of our series profiling the inaugural class of the Beijinger's Dining Hall of Fame Venues, selected by a group of industry insiders at the 2015 Reader Restaurant Awards. For more information on the selection process, see here.

What would Beijing cuisine be without Peking duck? And what would Peking duck be without Da Dong? Chef Dong Zhenxiang's (otherwise known as Da Dong for his looming 1.93m stature) eponymous restaurant empire has come to represent not only Peking duck dining in the capital, but also boundary-pushing modern Chinese cuisine. It is this commitment to quality and innovation that has helped Da Dong unseat time-honored brands like Quanjude and Bianyifang from their Peking duck hegemony. 

In the 30 years since the brand was established with its first location at Tuanjiehu, Da Dong has become famous for his super lean roast duck, which keeps the crispy skin but renders out most of the fat for a healthier morsel. The duck is served with all the traditional trimmings, including sugar – a variety specially selected for the size of the individual crystals – to dip the brittle pieces of skin. This revolutionary take on duck has helped Da Dong create an empire of nine restaurants, as well as approachably priced offshoot Taste of Dadong, and franchise-worthy “duck burger” joint, Da Dong Duck. 

Da Dong himself may be a Beijinger, and his signature dish may be Peking duck, but the food at his restaurants – presented in a hulking 80-plus page tome of a menu – stretches far beyond, incorporating influences from all of China’s eight great culinary traditions, and even French cuisine. Dishes such as foie gras glazed and shaped to look like cherries or hawthorns, or broiled avocado with pearlized oyster sauce (from the menu at Taste of Da Dong) bring to mind the work of chefs like Heston Blumenthal more than they do Chinese cooking. All of this adds up to making Da Dong a very worthy addition to the Dining Hall of Fame.

More stories by this author here.

Email: robynnetindall@thebeijinger.com
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Photos courtesy of Da Dong