QUANJUDE — Restaurant in Beijing

Quanjude – is the most famous and leading Peking Roast Duck brand in Beijing. A symbol of gourmet cuisine with a long tradition of excellence dating back to 1864. It is also an outstanding culinary legacy of the era left by the royal chefs centuries ago. The inheritance of chef skills has been spread throughout the branches (or patented franchise restaurants) opened around the world, providing many conveniences to people and tourists who like to eat Peking duck to stimulate their taste buds and satisfy their appetite. Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant is located at: No. 32 Qianmen Street, Chongwen District, Beijing. So far as I know, this is the main store in Beijing. After we arrived at the restaurant, a group of dozens of us went up to the second floor. The receptionist led us to the reserved table and pleased us sat down. She placed the tableware on the table in front of us and politely asked us to wait a moment. About twenty minutes later, the food was served. Among the several dishes, the main dish was the Peking Roast Duck. We were served by the waiter in a special and noble hospitality method to cut the duck skin and duck meat into small pieces to serve us. We dip the duck skin and duck meat into the special sauce and enjoy it. In an instant, wow..... appreciative voices echoed across the dining table. It's really very crispy and delicious, and the meat is also delicious. We were really not disappointed when we all try it!. Just before eating duck meat, we need to wrap the duck meat first with some ingredients in the "dough skin" - a kind of pan cake which placed on the table in separated plates both with the duck meat, and enjoyed it in a full mouth after dipping it in the sauce. Overall, this meal and all the dishes were rated as delicious, especially the roast duck. I ate it with great relish and couldn't stop. I will definitely come again in the future. But unfortunately, I learned from a friend of Beijing who once worked as a tour guide that Quanjude Roast Duck is no longer the most popular top fashion delicacy in Beijing. It has lost its former reputation and has long been replaced by many up-and-coming new delicacies. And what the scene shows is that it is no longer as full as when we came ten years ago. Diners who have never been here might as well give it a try! This is indeed a delicious Peking duck...

Qianmen QuanJude Roast Duck Restaurant: Ducks Everywhere!

If you like Peking cooking style duck, this is a good restaurant to visit. I chose to eat there after spending time in Qianmen shopping area, doing one of my favorite activities, shopping! Founded in 1864, it has a history of 149 years. Throughout constant improvement and practice, Quanjude has formed a distinctive cuisine that revolves around ducks. The menu is vast to include a duck banquet and many specialties. True, the scent from the streets invites you to come in and eat away! There are 150 calories in 4 ounces of Duck Meat. Calorie breakdown: 41% fat, 0% carbs, and 59% protein. So it is not to bad! And since you are in China and most likely you are going to have to walk, climb, run and more, eat!

The carver comes to your table and if you like to talk, as I do, ask questions…my guide spoke English so it was easier for me. The carver explained to me, that Roast duck must be eaten according to the seasons. Spring, autumn and winter are the best seasons. This is so because in these seasons, the bird is tender and plump. During the summer, the weather is humid and the temperature affects the crispiness of the meat. September was ideal! My duck was amber in color and crispy. There are many ways to eat the duck. I liked the traditional way, sweet sauce on a lotus leaf pancake, slices of the tasty meat topped with green onions and cucumbers. There is also a sauce made with garlic and soy sauce that you can add. Either way is yummy!

With a bowl of soup, I spent over $20.00 American dollars. I was satisfied. The level of service in the restaurant is courteous. Location is 30 Qianmen St, Dongcheng, in Beijing of course. The hours of operation are daily from 11:00 to 1:30 and 4:30 to 8:30 PM. And know this, the architecture is worth seen. Additionally, many world leaders have eaten in this place, including Fidel Castro…and George W. Bush…not at the same time though! Happy...

全聚德 / quanjude has been established since 1864 with the first branch located in 前门 / Qianmen. We came here for a lunch on a weekday, and this big restaurant was so crowded with people kept coming little by little, so that this restaurant is always crowded.

Here are what we tried :

全聚德精品烤鸭 / quanjude jingpin kaoya / Quanjude Whole Roast Duck (CNY 258) We also got the crispy duck skin with its oil that is so tempting good! The roast duck has a smooth texture, tender, and definitely with a great taste!

葱 & 酱 / cong & jiang / Green Onions & Sauce (CNY 3) FYI, ordering roast duck does not include complement. I recommend you to order the complement one portion for one person.

荷叶饼 / he ye bing / Thin Pancake (CNY 14) One portion is enough for 3 persons.

When eating Peking Duck, it is not usual to eat it with rice. Replacing the rice with the thin pancake. So, how to eat the Peking Duck with then Thin Pancake?

First of all, you need to prepare one white thin pancake onto your plate.

Secondly, put 1 - 2 sliced roast duck, green onion, sauce, garlic, and sugar. I recommend you not to put too much filling inside the thin pancake, just like I did (since I was so excited with the roast duck 😄 ). If you do this, you may find it hard to wrap.

Thirdly, wrap slowly the thin pancake along with the filling. Voila! The Peking Duck is ready to enjoy! You may repeat it again and again. If you still do not get how to prepare it, the waiter / waitress will help you. They usually will ask you first whether you want them to assist in preparing it or not. Since this restaurant is so crowded, you have to be patient to get the waiter / waitress help you. It is because one person could serve several...