thistle Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 On 4/9/2013 at 4:46 PM, Bart said: "Peking Duck" just a few miles north on Route 1 is our go to place for Chinese. For me, that's the best place for miles up and down Rt 1. Great dumplings, fantastic Peking Duck carved very quickly, table side, and served while the skin is still hot and crispy. (unlike Peking Gourmet Inn who carves so slow that the meat is cool and the skin is soggy by the time you take the first bite). I haven't eaten at Peking Duck in ages, but I'll try it again soon, on your recommendation. It's really hard to find good Chinese food in this area, although we have other decent choices for food. The places I've tried in the last year (China Cafe, Top's China, China One, Green Olive, Chef Huang's (decent lunch buffet), & Great Wall (under new management & not as good) are sub optimal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I haven't eaten at Peking Duck in ages, but I'll try it again soon, on your recommendation. It's really hard to find good Chinese food in this area, although we have other decent choices for food. The places I've tried in the last year (China Cafe, Top's China, China One, Green Olive, Chef Huang's (decent lunch buffet), & Great Wall (under new management & not as good) are sub optimal. Two things people might not know about Peking Duck: 1) It's owned by Peter Chang - but not the Peter Chang you're thinking of. 2) Mr. Chang also owns Duck Chang's in Annandale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Sadly it was just passable No one in the area can really touch Peking Gourmet Inn for their duck I disagree. I've stopped (years ago) getting the peking duck from Peking Gourment Inn (PGI) because it didn't come close to the version served at Peking Duck on Rt. 1. Your tastebuds my vary! Same goes for their dumplings. I don't think PGI comes close to the dumplings at Peking Duck. Besides the duck and dumplings another favorite of mine is their Chicken with Black Velvet. It's a chicken dish in a brown sauce served with a really wonderful, meaty (velvety) eggplant. You can get a vegeterian version too. Their sizzling platter dishes are very good too. Hell, I love damn near every dish at this place! It's a great neighborhood place. The service and decor can't compete with downtown DC, but for what it is, it's a hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Ha! The one complaint I have (sometimes) have is it can be inconsistent. Sometimes there seems to be a lot of duck per order (maybe 7 pancakes worth) other times there doesn't seem to be as much (maybe only 5 pancakes worth). Sometimes the dumplings come out so hot you can get burned if you go too fast, while others they come out warm, bordering on not warm. Maybe your place has similar issues? But I have to say the owners must me some of the hardest working people in the business (or maybe all family owned/non-celeb-chef places are run this way?). I've been coming to this place for 20 years and my wife and her family an additional 10 years and in all that time, the husband and wife who run the place have never taken any time off other than Mondays when they're closed. For over 30 years they've been in the restaurant 6 days a week! No shut downs in August, no random nights off, no nothing. I can't even fathom that type of work ethic or dedication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schulju Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Did I hear Chris say "Duck Throwdown"?? I'm in! I'm a fan of PGI and have yet to find anywhere better. But PGI is such a mob scene, I would love to find an alternative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 If we do a duck meal here, I'm also in-since my only experience was years ago, I'm ready to go in, w/ no expectations- & decor/service are secondary to me, I'm all about the food-if at least half of it is good, I'm happy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovehockey Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I've visited this place many times but I've never had the Peking Duck. Yes,the decor is dated. The SO is a fan of the Chicken in Black Velvet mentioned above. It's the best Chinese along the Route 1 strip from the Beltway to who knows where. The wine list is terrible, though. BTW, they have a buffet on Sunday afternoons, from 12:30-3:30 if I remember correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Yep, the wine list is very short and (I'm pretty sure) their only offerings are in those little one serving bottles that they serve on airplanes. Also, they have the buffet every day except Saturday, but it's a little different than a typical buffet. There is no buffet station. They bring out the dishes to the table and you just ask for more of whatever you want. Usually it's a choice of 3 soups, chicken wings, eggrolls, and 4 entree dishes. If you want more of any of it, you just ask and they'll bring it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Like schulju, I would like a good Peking Duck restaurant identified in time for my next birthday meal (in January). "Peking Duck" Route 1 in Alexandria a couple miles south of the beltway. The chef carves the duck (skin, fat (discarded), & meat) so quickly that it doesn't have time to cool down before you eat it. Skin stays crisp, meat stays warm. A couple bucks cheaper than PGI's version too. http://www.pekingduck.com/ With a website this bad, you know the food must be good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schulju Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 All this talk of duck this week and I'm salivating. I'm going to try to get Hubby to trek down to Alexandria this weekend...will report back if successful. Success! Got Hubby (and a bunch of the PGI dining clan) to go to Peking Duck for a Duck Throwdown! 7pm on a Saturday night and there were only three other tables in the restaurant. The restaurant itself could use a face lift...the entry way and rest rooms have seen better days, and the dining room is a bit dingy. That said, we were happy to be shown to a table immediately upon arriving...as opposed to the obligatory hour long wait one faces at PGI. The drink list is limited to 4 beers (2 Asian beers, Miller and Heineken) and a few Sutter Home wines. For seven people we ordered 4 appetizers, 2 ducks and 3 entrees which worked out to be the exact right amount of food. The duck was very good. Perhaps I would give PGI a slight edge, mostly for the carving skills, but given how much easier getting to said duck is, there's really no difference. In addition to the duck, we had a couple of bowls of duck bone soup which was declared very good. Pan fried dumplings were well received, although no one really liked the dumpling sauce. Moo shoo pork was a big hit, as was the triple delight. Crispy prawns were in an overly sweet sauce, not at all what I was expecting, I wouldn't order it again. Did I mention that all this food, plus 10-12 bottles of beer, and we got out for $35 per person including tip?? Service was attentive, the duck was excellent, other menu items were mostly well received and we were sat immediately upon arrival. I wish there was a full bar available and that the room was a bit less shabby, but I am happy to declare myself free of the hell that is PGI. Peking Duck House is the new family "go-to" for Peking Duck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Girl Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Jim and I were at the Lowe's on Rt 1 tonight to purchase a new porcelain throne and decided get some dinner somewhere nearby. Peking Duck came to mind since it was close by and we've been curious about it. The parking lot was practically empty which gave us pause since it was a Friday night and many other place along Rt 1 had full lots. A large party and a table of three occupied the dining room. Other posters were right about the dated decor. It's a throwback to the 70's. But the proof would be in the duck. So we looked over the menu and decided on half a duck (just enough to give it a try), along with an appetizer, a main dish and some veg. After we ordered, we saw a couple of ducks wheeled out to the large party. They was quickly carved up and served. Old School. Things were looking up. The appetizer that caught our eye was the Cheetons. Think crab rangoon if you replace the crab with chicken and shrimp. They were surprisingly good. Then the duck arrived. I barely had time to take a picture of it being carved before it was done. The verdict was.....tasty. I think we both regretted not getting a whole one. Next time we will not make that mistake. Most of the skin was free of fat and the pieces that had any were easy to clean up. The duck meat itself was moist and just the slightest bit greasy but not enough to be concerned about. The other main dish we got was the Ghenghis Kahn Beef. An Americanized Chinese dish of beef, snow peas, water chestnuts, carrots, peppers and baby corn served on a scalding hot platter that sizzled when it arrived at the table. It too was tasty and plentiful. Most of it is sitting on the fridge and will be lunch or dinner tomorrow. For the veg, we narrowed the options down to either the string beans or eggplant Szechuan style. The green beans won out simply because I thought they would hold up better as leftovers for tomorrow. While very good, they were also an Americanized version of a Szechuan dish. Heavy on the garlic and suspiciously missing any heat. We'll see how well they reheat tomorrow and if any spiciness appears. In some ways the place reminded us of the old Honolulu restaurant on Telegraph Rd. Good, solid Americanized Chinese food, very friendly and attentive staff. We'll have to go back to explore more of the menu and perhaps place an order for a whole duck for Christmas. Fa ra ra ra ra....ra ra, ra ra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovehockey Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Forgetting that it was Chinese New Year, we visited on Saturday night. The place was swamped, busier than we'd ever seen it. Service suffered a bit as a result. Many ducks were being carved tableside, though. That being said, the food was exactly as we have had it before. They are consistent and therefore reliable. I stand by my earlier statement that it is the best Chinese food on this strip of Route 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovehockey Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Temporarily closed due to a medical emergency, according to a sign on the door. They expect to reopen sometime in January and in the interim recommend visiting Duck Chang's, which is their sister (or really is it their mother?) restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Damn. That's sad, and worrisome. This place is run/owned by a husband and wife team who never take any time off. My wife and I have been going here for 24 years (our entire relationship) and she's been going with her family probably an additional 15 years (maybe only 10). In all that time, they've never taken a vacation or a day off, other then being closed on Mondays. And on Mondays, they work at Duck Changs in Ananadale. Can you imagine never having a vacation in something like 40 years?!?! The hardest working family in show business. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 As of this past wednesday, they are open once again. Whoo! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufo Tabayoyong Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thanks for the update. I stopped by Saturday night and was happy to see all were well. Got the chicken with black velvet based on a recommendation above and enjoyed it. The always ordered Cheetons were good as ever. Agree with general consensus about the duck; its quite good and there is no wait/hassle. Duck bone soup is strongly recommended to go along with it. Normally, for me the food is THE driver for a restaurant. Over the years, I have endured some awesomely bad service and settings for the right dishes. While I am a big fan of the duck here, a service episode instilled a genuine fondness for the folks here (and they are the hardest working people in the business). In short, my Mom has some serious and difficult food allergies. She tries not to be a drag and will go out, but its hard for her to find things at many restaurants. Many servers, while well intentioned, often are of little help. We brought my Mom here and in her overly nice way asked the waitress the first of what can be a punishing list of questions. The waitress said she'd grab the Chef. He came out, was beyond friendly and accommodating. Answered every question. Explained that he makes all the stocks from scratch. He went over her issues, ensured her the would take care of her and made her a few custom, off-menu items. She had a great time. There have been other chefs that have come close, but it was the best treatment she has ever gotten. I'll never forget that and try to support the people here whenever I can. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovehockey Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I've visited this place many times but I've never had the Peking Duck. Last night I got takeout and decided to finally try the Peking Duck. I got the half duck since it was just for me. I'll preface this by saying that I don't recall ever having had Peking Duck before, so I have no others to compare it to. That being said: Waiting this long, which includes years before the quoted post, was dumb. Next time, even if it's just me, I'll order a whole duck and be happy for more than the 2 meals that I got out of the half. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 To fully enjoy the duck (Peking), you should eat it there.......the skin is much more crisp and everything is a little hotter. The take out version is still great, but there's nothing like biting into your first roll(?) seconds after it's cut from the duck. So warm, so crisp, so good. Let me know next time you go! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 To fully enjoy the duck (Peking), you should eat it there.......the skin is much more crisp and everything is a little hotter. The take out version is still great, but there's nothing like biting into your first roll(?) seconds after it's cut from the duck. So warm, so crisp, so good. Let me know next time you go! Yes, lovehockey probably doesn't realize that this is always carved tableside by credible Peking Duck Houses. It's fun to watch, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Let me know next time you go! Donrockwell group dinner? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Yes, lovehockey probably doesn't realize that this is always carved tableside by credible Peking Duck Houses. It's fun to watch, too! Yep! And unlike Peking Gourmet Inn, at Peking Duck, Joe Chang carves it FAST, so it's still piping hot when you eat it. Donrockwell group dinner? I'm in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSnake Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Donrockwell group dinner? It's about two minutes from my house so I'm in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Donrockwell group dinner? I'm in! It's about two minutes from my house so I'm in! Great! I'll start a post in the Events and Gatherings thread to plan the outing and see who else is interested, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSnake Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 One of the things from my childhood that has stuck in my mind is how we were friends with the family across the street and this family loved the Peking Duck restaurant. The husband and wife had been regulars for over 25 years and routinely brought their children there for birthdays and other celebrations. When the husband became deathly ill, his wife notified the chef at Peking Duck and he immediately rushed over to the hospital with three whole ducks, carved them right in the hospital room and served all of us. As a child who grew up in New York, I wasn't used to seeing such overwhelming generosity and selflessness. It was really something. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 That's a great story, it's so nice to see folks looking out for each other. I'm in for a group lunch or dinner here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 On 7/25/2015 at 6:33 PM, JSnake said: One of the things from my childhood that has stuck in my mind is how we were friends with the family across the street and this family loved the Peking Duck restaurant. The husband and wife had been regulars for over 25 years and routinely brought their children there for birthdays and other celebrations. When the husband became deathly ill, his wife notified the chef at Peking Duck and he immediately rushed over to the hospital with three whole ducks, carved them right in the hospital room and served all of us. As a child who grew up in New York, I wasn't used to seeing such overwhelming generosity and selflessness. It was really something. Wow, Elle's tweet really made me think about Mix Meyer - he was *such* a good person. Elle, please let us know how Peking Duck is - I suspect it has been a long time since many people have been there. Their website is simply dripping passion: Here's the thread for our website lunch. Between Mix and Herschel, we have the bookends of awesome lives lived. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 Sad news. This place is closed. Attached is a photo of the sign on the door. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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