Da Dong restaurant in Beijing

Da Dong Restaurant is a very famous Roast Duck Restaurant in Beijing and has been rated within the top ten best Peking duck restaurants in Beijing by various food critics and is also a 1 Michelin Star restaurant. Da Dong is widely known for its Chinese cuisine, especially Peking duck and is named after its founder Dong Zhenxiang who bears the nickname Da (big) Dong.

Our tour Guide did not want us to come here as he said the price for the Peking duck is 3 to 4 times higher than a regular restaurant but Hoa insisted to dine here as his colleagues told him specifically to eat here if we want to have the best Peking Duck.

The Peking duck chain’s flagship in town got a makeover in 2021 and was re-branded as the chain’s most exclusive branch. It is a bit difficult to find it as it is located on the 5th floor in a shopping center. We were lucky as our tour guide took us all the way to the restaurant and he also made a few recommendations before leaving us.

Long corridor before reaching the main dining room.

The Dinning room is huge and very modern.

Chefs roasting ducks. Da Dong has contributed towards innovating methods of cooking Peking duck by using a spherical wood fired oven instead of the more traditional method of a square oven

Chef closing the door of the oven once the ducks are inserted in the oven.

The Oven next to the dining room.

Beautiful and very classy dinning room.

Table setting.

While waiting for our Peking Duck I ordered a plate of sautéed pea shoots.

Roasted eggplant with a garlic sauce.

The eggplant was very meaty and tasty.

Once the duck is ready we have a chef coming to our table to carve the duck.

Chef carving the skin first.

and then the breast. It is so captivating to watch the chef carving the duck.

Platting...

Beautiful presentation. We got 2 portions of the breast and skin. This is a portion for 2 people.

The skin was incredible crunchy and just melted in our mouth.

I also ordered some caviar which is not very conventional but it turned out to be so good with the duck.

Peking duck is eaten with various condiments and wraps.

Da Dong offers the following condiments: minced garlic, granulated sugar, cucumber, radish, pickled vegetables, and some tianmianjiang (a sweet soybean sauce).

Pancake wraps and condiments.

Once the breast is carved, we got 2 plates of legs and wings.

Everything is so delicious!

We also ordered a large pot of fried rice.

The fried was very tasty but it was much that we could barely finish it.

Cheers to best Peking duck!

What a wonderful meal! I have to say without a doubt that this is the best Peking duck we ever had. So glad we came here and we got a really special experience.

On our way out I took a few pictures of all the awards the restaurant received over the years.

Here is a photo of Alain Ducasse, Da Dong (now you understand why he is called Big Dong), and Joel Robuchon. Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon are 3 Michelin French chefs and restaurateurs.

Joel Robuchon was named "Chef of the century" by the guide Gault Millau in 1989 and awarded Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France's best worker) in cuisine in 1976

Steven Spielberg on the left an on the right Da Dong with Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Alain Ducasse.

Award plaques and certificates.

So many awards...

Next...Summer Palace