Outside of the random dim sum nights and my knock off bag college phase I really haven’t spent much quality time in Chinatown. Anyway, since it was 8pm on a Friday night and I was a hungry man on a mission we decided to cab it. Unfortunately rush hour for the Hudson Tunnel was still in full effect and by the time we rolled up to the Peking Duck House we were ready to eat.
There was a lengthy menu to read from or the Special House Dinner Prefix on the inside cover for $41 a person. The prefix included soup (wonton or shrimp sizzling rice) all 4 appetizers (lettuce wrap with chicken, barbecued beef, spring roll, and a steamed vegetable dumpling), Peking Duck of course, Prawns, Shrimp Fried Rice and some fresh fruit. In an effort to keep it simple we opted for the prefix.
Long story short, Duck. Go here for the duck. And perhaps the prawns. Although, in a whole our meal was tasty, I’d avoid the package deal as the appetizers were standard and the “fresh” fruit desert wasn’t so fresh. But the duck, the gorgeous, tawny brown Peking duck was a spectacle – masterfully carved into thin slivers of tender meat and crispy, maltose-basted skin. It made me wonder how I would ever cook up to this par.
The bill was delivered with two fortune cookies in which mine said “Made in the USA” – Although not a great fortune as far as fortunes are concerned – it made me chuckle since here I am trying to be somewhat authentic and I am eating a cookie that was actually invented in San Francisco. Now the cookies are taunting me….
We left full but forgetting this was a BYOB we were still in the mood for a few drinks. Luckily Apotheke was only a couple blocks away and we headed that direction. It’s not very Chinese but hey.. desperate times call for desperate measures! For those that haven’t been there, Apotheke is Greek for Pharmacy, and therefore that is the theme of the bar. It’s a speakeasy (although everyone knows where it is) in which the bartenders are dressed in lab coats and create a bunch of funky concoctions.
After a couple drinks we were sufficiently full, slightly tipsy, and ready to head home. Being that it was one of those not too hot, not too cold, slight breeze, perfect weather, only happens a few times a year, New York City nights we had no choice but to take the CitiBike which was the cherry to my ice cream or should I say hoisin sauce to my Peking Duck for the perfect evening.
Wanderlust Chef 