With Chinese New Year around the corner, we rounded up the GTA’s options for a Peking duck feast and asked former Black Hoof chef, Grant van Gameren — who is opening a new restaurant in February — to tell us which duck is most delicious
WINNER: TOP DUCK (pictured above)
Peking Man, 1100 Sheppard Ave. E, $36
The most impressive-looking duck of the bunch, Peking Man’s dish delights our cheery chef with its tender texture and “mouth-watering” flavour. “It’s a little fatty,” van Gameren says, but admits that it’s the fat that makes it so good.
Runner-up
The Big Mouth Luck Dumpling House, 1560 Yonge St., $39.99
Chef van Gameren declares Big Mouth Luck’s duck the runner-up in the competition, praising its crispy skin. Had the pancake been less floury, this plate might have taken top prize.
A fresh take
Emperor Fine Chinese Cuisine, 9-9019 Bayview Ave., $39.88
This dish from Emperor Fine Chinese Cuisine includes a carrot garnish, which van Gameren finds slightly unusual, but appealing. “It looks beautiful,” he says, before taking a bite. He decides that it’s one of the freshest tasting of the group.
Savoury & satisfactory
Big Mouth Kee, 280 W. Beaver Creek Rd., $28.99
Although our judge thinks this dish looks very appetizing, he isn’t too impressed with the flavour of the duck. All in all, he enjoys the dish, but claims it’s “nothing to write home about.”
Lemon drop
Oriental King, 3443 Yonge St., $15.95
Oriental King’s duck is fried, cut into pieces and mixed with vegetables in a lemon sauce. A less traditional take, it doesn’t fare well with our chef, who likes duck prepared more simply.
Pass (on) the salt
Lai Wah Heen, 108 Chestnut St., $56
The discerning van Gameren takes several bites of Lai Wah Heen’s duck before passing judgment. It’s very tasty, he finally says, but he finds the hoisin is too salty and laments that it overpowers the duck. He takes a big gulp of water after downing the rest of the sample.
Delightful duck
Dynasty Chinese Cuisine, 69 Yorkville Ave., $52.95
“This is juicy and it’s got some very nice spice,” our chef says, after tasting a few bites of Dynasty’s dish. He concludes that he definitely wouldn’t be disappointed if this duck arrived at his table at a Chinese restaurant.
Looks can deceive
Pearl, Bayview Village, $55
The Peking duck from Pearl earns points for its skin, which van Gameren says has an appealing colour and flavour. But ultimately this dish, with its dry meat and crumbly pancake, looks better than it tastes and is his least favourite of the bunch.
