Peking Duck

Yesterday was a restful day - which we needed after our climb on the great wall. We spent the morning getting my pictures restored and then decided on a lunch of Beijing/Peking duck. We'd both had it in the states and enjoyed it very much.

We found a cute restaurant on the street where our hostel is located that advertised Peking Duck, so we took a seat. After we ordered, we watched one of the cooks play a game that we've determined to be some sort of Chinese Chess.

However, as is becoming par for the course, this meal was not what we expected! Though duck is always very fatty, we both came away from this meal feeling as though we'd taken a trip down a slip and slide covered in grease. It was saturating (and that was after we'd picked the skin and obvious fat layer off of the meat!). In fact, we had to seek out crackers and fruit just to soak up the grease inside our bodies!

Additionally, we were surprised by how the meal was presented. We'd ordered half a duck (the smallest portion we could get). Here's how it was served:

The plate is sliced meat, which was placed on a rice flower "tortilla" along with some shredded sweet onion, a cucumber slice and some plum sauce. It tasted pretty good, but was not what we expected. After we'd been presented with this food, we watched another table of Chinese men to figure out how to eat it. Soon we figured it out. However, soon after our waitress arrived with duck soup.... Did we order that? Turns out- it was made from the bones of the duck and was essentially oily broth. We each tried it and decided to pass. Additionally we'd ordered some vegetable dumplings (not knowing that our dish came with cucumbers and onions). We were presented with a plate of about 40 dumplings...with a small amount of a green leafy vegetable and egg! What a huge amount of food.

There was no way that we could eat all the food and none of it was really good enough to take it, so, though our consciences twinged, we left it. Hopefully someone out back will eat the dumplings at least (we did finish the duck).

The menu added even more amusement to our lunch outing. Here are some experts. Be sure to read the descriptions.

Anyone hungry?