The Birthday lunch

Where? Quanjude – 299 Queen Street (www.quanjude.com.au) Melbourne Australia  Google Map

The Rating

Food: 6/10

Service: 6/10

Overall: 6/10

Have you had Peking Duck recently?

Please tell us where you had PD and what you think as we would like to go and check it out a review them for our blog.

We are looking for places in Melbourne – Australia, Los Angeles, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Cuba as these are place Carlo and Tracey will be visited in the next few months.

Pepper Chilli – What Tracey thought !!

Pepper Chilli

As you walk up the first flight of spiralling stairs I am greeted by two Asian ancestors bowing down to greet you.  Walking through the sliding doors and up the second flight of stairs, clutching onto the worn and cold golden coloured balustrade, the only certainty is that Carlo is meeting me for a birthday lunch. When I finally reached the landing, I am greeted by a multitude of staff, colours of deep purple and maroon. Absolutely relaxed.

The layout is generously spacious, comfortable and quiet.  The impressively displayed wine cabinet on my right is easily missed to the novice critic. You do not need to warm your vocal chords using the Hanon for that verbal stoush as I’m sure that even Timmy could hear everything I was saying. I was seated in not just the usual Asian plastic that we tend to get used to in Australia, but well structured chairs with decent fabric. Carlo arrives in a hurry. We are muttering away to each other how long it has been since our last PDE (peking duck experience), before Timmy glides us through the menu. What’s not to like about this guy? We tell Timmy to just ‘bring it on’. And boy, did Timmy deliver!

We were not waiting long before the sweet corn and chicken soup arrived. What I enjoyed most was the homely feel it gave the restaurant.  Yes, very flavoursome and good consistency, but the soup is not what we were here to judge.  Amongst more clincks of champagne glasses and further chit chatter that still wasn’t enough to overpower the room, the aroma could not be mistaken. The peking duck didn’t just come though, it was announced and yes, it had arrived.

Timmy was attentive. The peking duck was served on individually warmed plates with crisp cucumber and spring onion. Minimal fat on the duck and did it have flavour! The best part, however, was the warmed pancake / crepe that it was rolled in. Warmed and thin – wow. I could have died and gone to heaven!

There were accompanying dishes too, but we were here for the peking duck, let alone my birthday.

To finish, a freshly brewed cup of tea to replace the tea that had gone cold.

Pepper Chilli was everything I hadn’t expected. The golden nugget which I had found…better keep this one a secret.

Food: 8.5/10

Service: 8/10

Overall: 8/10

The last laugh:  I could have been mistaken for being in heaven – remember to look skywards and all you will notice are lights, mimicking the stars…

Pepper Chilli

Carlo:

This was a great resturant. I really enjoyed the service they offered. The lunch time rush never happened. A very nice place to have good conversation. Not too far out of the way ..top end of Burke St.  Seemed like there were many business people there having meeting.  It was Tracey’s birthday lunch so we had Chamgpane which was great , but I dont think they really understood that we just wanted a simple glass …they ended up bringing us a little bottle each!!!

Timmy was fantastic …very helpful.  Tracey and I dont really like to choose from the menu so Timmy brought what we thought we would like:

Entree:  Chicken corn soup  , then the Peking Duck, followed by sample size beef dishes.

The Peking duck was great. There serving method was different.  We recieved a new plate each tiem we got a new pancake….yes a new warm plate!!!! I did find the meat of the duck a little dry but still tasty.

Overall I would give it : 7/10

Pepper Chilli 03) 9662 9662, 85 Little Bourke St Melbourne 3000

Dahu Peking Duck Restaurant

Carlo:

This is a long time favorite of mine.  I have been going there for years with my friends on weekends and during the week. Also enjoyed this place before a movie in the city. Always have found the service and quality good.  Our lunch was busy and we go a good table for two on the side.

As expected I found the PD excellent. If any complaint had to be made the meat was a little oily. The thing I really like is that they cut the duck up in front of you and make your first pancake. Then you have to make the rest of them. It is fun making them for each other. But make sure you count how many each have so you don’t let the other party eat them all.  A very relaxing place.  The price of a whole PD is $36 which is not bad. Half is $18. Half is enough for two.  If you order a whole duck they will make the rest in a soup or how every you want it.

Overall I would give it 7/10

Dahu Peking Duck Restaurant (03) 9663 3868, 171 Little Bourke St Melbourne 3000

Peking Duck Blog Site ???

Well this is a site dedicated to the search for the perfect Peking Duck dish.  The search has begun in Melbourne Australia. It began in 2006. The principals of the search are two friends called Carlo and Tracey.  Our search has begun as a fun lunch outing to a perpetual search for the perfect Peking Duck Dish.  We will go to many restaurant across Melbourne Australia and the venture will also soon take us International.  We are developing a rating system to aid in our un-bais attitudes towards dishes in certain restaurant.

The both of us will bring you stories and photos of our adventure.

We look forward to hearing from others about your experiences and about your recommendations of where we should go.

Old Kingdom – Smith Street, Fitzroy

Old Kingdom – Smith Street, Fitzroy

Looking for culture? Looking for a room filled with the buzz of Asian chatter? If so, Old Kingdom is the place to visit.

When looking for Old Kingdom, it can easily be missed amongst the cafes and eclectic stores normally found on Smith Street. When Carlo and I arrive for a private luncheon, open only for yours truly, the pancake machines are decked out across the restaurant in preparation of the line of customers waiting to gorge on the peking ducks on the menu. The décor is an old-style red with plastic chairs and small tables. To be honest, it is probably similar to what you would find on the mother-land but to us Aussies who are traditionally spoiled, one can easily be put off. Take a minute to view the newspaper articles Simon displays near the ground floor entrance featuring himself and his famous restaurant. This old style Asian eatery is a true find.

Simon welcomes us with open arms and as we shoo away the menu, prior to being seated in favour of what is traditionally ordered, we sit in the empty restaurant (normally closed for lunch) with the wafting smell of ducks cooking. I haven’t seen Carlo for a period of time prior to our lunch date and want to impress him with the hospitality, food and general laid-back nature that I know Old Kingdom can serve. Conversation quickly envelops the room, even if it is just the two of us, with Simon and his wife in the background busily making pancakes.

The duck soup* arrives and with every good soup, a great amount of time is spent ensuring the flavours are extracted.

Simon hurries into the kitchen and returns with his apron on and cleaver in hand.  He tells us to place the pancake on the plate along with the spring onion and cucumber at a quarter past three. It takes me some time to work out what he means by ‘a quarter past three’.  I can tell that Simon is deeply impatient with me, in a funny way of course, and begins to tell me ‘you know time? Quarter past three!’ I feel deeply ashamed. Simon slices and dices the pieces of duck on our table at an amazing speed continuing to lecture about the way to wrap the pancake. ‘Fold bottom up, fold sides in and eat with hands’. It’s great entertainment for us both, as we sit there mesmerised in someone who really is quite patient with us both.

Simon leaves, not because he has had enough, but to dispose of what remains of the duck.

The duck and bean shoots* dish arrives and I know already I have eaten too much. Let that be a lesson to you all! Try not to be fooled by my commentary. Old Kingdom is a favourite of many and is normally booked out!

Food: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

The last laugh:  Do book and indicate the number of ducks you wish to consume. Be warned though, for the eyes are always bigger than the stomach…

*The soup along with the duck and bean shoots dish come together with the peking duck order.