Celebrity chefs pick the best Peking duck in Toronto in time for Asia’s most important festival

To celebrate Lunar New Year, taking place on Jan. 22, chefs Anna Chen and Anthony Rose sample one of the dayโ€™s most popular dishes โ€” Peking duck. Served wrapped in a pancake or atop a lettuce cup, the dish is known to bring an abundance of good luck.

Winner (pancake): Peking Man

Anthony: โ€œThe duck is flavourful and nice and crunchy, and the pancake is nice and thin. I like the addition of the cucumber and the scallion.โ€
Anna: โ€œI feel it could be crispier, but overall the flavours are well-balanced.โ€ 4300 Steeles Ave. E.ย  pekingman.ca $55

Winner (lettuce wrap): Lai Wah Heen

Anna: โ€œVery generous portion and beautiful presentation.โ€
Anthony: โ€œVery pretty. Itโ€™s moist and has just the right amount of sauce. I like the simplicity of the flavours and I can really taste the duck.โ€ 108 Chestnut St. laiwahheen.com $88

Tao

Anthony: โ€œThe lettuce is a little awkward in terms of its shape, and itโ€™s a bit hard to pick up. I like the
addition of the mango.โ€
Anna: โ€œThe duck is nice and chunky, and itโ€™s got a bit of spice, too, which gives it some heat, which I like!โ€ 220 Laird Dr. taobistro.ca $76

Dynasty

Anna: โ€œI got a really nice portion of duck in the pancake, and the skin is nice and crispy.โ€
Anthony: โ€œItโ€™s spiced a little too heavily, but I like the chunkiness of the duck.โ€ 69 Yorkville Ave. dynastyyorkville.com ย $79.95

Chi Dim Sum


Anna: โ€œThereโ€™s lots of flavour in this dish, and the duck is nicely cooked.โ€
Anthony: โ€œI like the duck on this one, very sweet, but not overcooked, and you can really taste the spices that have been used.โ€ 2425 Yonge St. chidimsum.ca $65

Kwan


Anna: โ€œThe presentation is pretty, and the lettuce wrap is nice and fresh. The fried noodle adds a nice crunchy garnish, but itโ€™s lacking in flavour.โ€
Anthony: โ€œPresentation-wise the lettuce is gorgeous, but I agree with Anna, more flavour is definitely needed here.โ€
808 York Mills Rd. kwan-dimsum.com $68