QJD Peking Duck 全聚德（Mississauga） — Restaurant in Mississauga

For a chain Peking Duck, this was good and comparable to what I had at the Peking Tower in Hong Kong, which is a decent and profitable chain all over Kowloon that I think this restaurant is trying to emulate.

There are angry reviewers that think the name implies it should be some kind of Mandarin or northern Chinese food when various forms of this dish have been perennial favorites all over China and the world since the 1800s. Each region makes their own version of Peking duck that is good in its own way and Hong Kong is no exception.

The flavors at this restaurant is deeply rooted in Hong Kong-style cooking. Everybody there sounded like native Cantonese speakers, but also bilingual in Mandarin for speaking with the mainland Chinese workers whose English and Cantonese skills are not great.

We ordered the Set A dinner for 4-6 and got a nice mix of hot and cold dishes, including the hot cuttlefish soup, peppered beef with broccoli, ginger gai lan, and of course Peking duck with very thin mandarin pancakes, served on hot water or candle-heated chafing dishes. The cold dishes were the cilantro-marinated cucumber and the “spicy” chili oil chicken, which (spoiler alert) was not all that spicy, but a flavorful ball of ginger oil chicken, served in a spectacular looking pool of red chili oil with chilled daikon. Yes it had some sting to it, but it was not even a 3-star hot and I could taste all of the ingredients. That was the overall favorite of everyone. The peppered beef was also outstanding, tender and garlicky—again, not spicy, over-salted or all soy and fish sauce, like many others I’ve had. The cuttlefish soup was savory with with bits of soft tofu and no dried cuttlefish flakes floating around. Good texture. We finished the entire terrine for 6-8 people among 4 of us. The Peking duck was probably my least favorite dish, but not bad at all. The skin could’ve been crisper, had they fired the duck like the old style, although I’m not sure it’s allowed in Canada. (It’s not usually allowed in the States and an improbably skill to learn here in North America. But there’s a place in Mexico City that’s not too far off.) It was a bit dryer because the duck was leaner and so very tender, probably just younger than some of oil-roasted ducks more common in Cantonese cuisine. But honestly, I do prefer the leaner ducks, where I don’t feel the squish of all the fat in my mouth, when you can’t rapidly fire-roast a duck on a handheld spit. The pancakes were real, but had been reheated before serving. It did have the glutinous chewiness that one would expect.

Overall, it is a decent chain restaurant experience for us, not on par with higher end places, but not unreasonably priced so one would expect an actual imperial duck. It is better than most that I’ve been to, but not quite Hong Kong-quality food. I liked the ambiance and the ostentatious decor like they would have had in a HK restaurant. It didn’t say “higher end” to me like it did to some of the other reviewers. To me, it was Cantonese kitsch.

But what’s with the old photo of Kissinger and Zhou flashing in the photo montage amidst sliced duck meat on the ginormous screen? Aren’t I in Canada? The screen would be great at a Chinese wedding after the relatives have started rambunctious kareoke, but for some failed political event from the early 1970s before even I was...

First Visit: Daughter’s Baby Shower (5 Stars for Event, 4 Stars Overall)

I initially booked QJD for my daughter’s baby shower, reserving six tables for approximately 65 guests. From the start, working with Angie, the head hostess, was a fantastic experience. Angie was incredibly professional, helpful, and accommodating. She went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly, from designing a set menu to working within my budget, even accommodating items that weren’t initially on the menu. She truly deserves a raise for her impeccable service!

Candy, the manager, was also instrumental in planning and offered great recommendations. Together, Angie and Candy curated a 10-item menu that was perfect for the occasion. On the day of the event, the food was exceptional. Highlights included the perfectly moist Peking Duck, the expertly cooked lobster, and the crab claws, which were a hit with the kids. The fried fish with a honey garlic glaze was hands-down the best I’ve ever had. However, there was one major disappointment: the noodles. Despite ordering them ahead of time, one of the six tables didn’t receive any because the restaurant ran out. Worse, I wasn’t informed until a guest pointed it out. For a high-end restaurant, this was unacceptable, especially with no compensation or apology offered.

Despite this hiccup, the overall experience was excellent due to the incredible service from Angie and Candy. I left thinking I’d definitely return for another big event.

Second Visit: Dinner in November (2 Stars)

Unfortunately, my second visit to QJD was a completely different experience. This time, I went with a smaller party of 15 and ordered off the menu. The food was inconsistent—while the lobster remained good, the Peking Duck, which the restaurant prides itself on, was disappointingly gamey. The other dishes were mediocre, tasting like something you’d find at a standard Chinese restaurant, not one claiming to be high-end.

The service, however, was the most significant letdown. Unlike the first visit, the staff was inattentive and unwelcoming. Plates weren’t cleared promptly, and the woman taking our order, Lily, seemed visibly annoyed and never smiled. Her demeanor made my entire family uncomfortable, and the lack of hospitality left us questioning why we returned.

When I asked for Candy, who had made my first experience so memorable, I was told she was no longer with the company—a massive disappointment. The absence of her and Angie’s exceptional service was glaringly obvious, and it reflected in the overall experience.

Final Verdict

Would I recommend QJD? Based on my first visit, absolutely. However, after the second visit, I’ve changed my mind. The inconsistency in food quality and, more importantly, the poor service during my second visit convinced me that this restaurant isn’t worth the hefty price tag. I initially believed QJD was a high-end restaurant, but the service and experience during my last visit were more akin to a low-end establishment. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning, as I feel I’ve already given them enough of my business and patience (but if you do choose to go,...

We reserved a private dining room at QJD Peking Duck Restaurant on Sat March 8 to celebrate my husband’s milestone birthday. I found the booking process to be quite stress free. I was in contact with the hostess, Hannah from beginning to end. (She gave us a tour of their private rooms, and went through the menu and answered all questions I had) When she was not available, my phone message was returned promptly, which really amazed me. Most restaurants never return messages left on voicemail. And on the day of the celebration, I received a text message reminder of the reservation.

The restaurant opened approx 6 months ago, the decor and atmosphere was very nice and inviting, and the hostesses looked very pretty dressed up in traditional Asian gowns.

It was a top notch banquet. The dishes were well presented and tasted amazing ! They all came out in good time, so we didn’t have to wait long for each dish. Some of the dishes we especially enjoyed were the whole Peony style Peking Duck, (the skin was crispy, and the meat was moist); the lobster, the fish, the sweet and sour chicken with pineapple, the beef with mango, and the duckling shaped pastry dessert, (which were very cute ! ). Jimmy also provided a complimentary dessert in honour of my husband’s birthday. We were able to bring our own birthday cake, which they kept in their fridge to keep cool, and helped serve at the end of the meal.

The servers, Jimmy, Chen Yau and Harry Ho did an excellent job. They were very professional, efficient, courteous, and respectful. Without me asking, they even packed up all the leftovers for us to take home.

Overall, everyone enjoyed the delicious banquet. It was a wonderful dining experience. The time just flew, we were there for over 2.5 hours! I realized that the restaurant had closed 15 min earlier but none of the servers told us or even rushed us out. That was appreciated.

This restaurant is a little pricey compared to other Chinese restaurants, but it was well worth it for this special occasion. There was an automatic 18% service charge on the bill, but by paying cash, some of the dishes were discounted by 10%. On top of that, I tipped a little bit extra to each server, for their exceptional service, which they graciously accepted.

I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone celebrating a special occasion, or to just go to experience great food. They have a nice dim sum and lunch menu too! I hope that in time that there will be a greater variety of dishes added to the menu. (There is a QJD Peking Duck restaurant in Markham, with a larger menu)

We are looking forward to going back...