Famous Peking duck restaurant lands in New York

After Quanjude's first failed attempt to enter the US market in Los Angeles some decades ago, it's coming back with a location situated in the vibrant Midtown area of New York City. This time with a different franchise ownership and a Michelin star.

Located in a historic three-story building, the restaurant occupies the former site of the French fine dining establishment La Grenouille, which iDen & Quanjude, a Quanjude franchise under the ownership of Andy Zhang, acquired for $14.3 million.

Under the dim light from crystal wall lamps around the restaurant, there's plush red velvet seats, classic oil paintings and bouquets of fresh flowers that are replaced every week.

The general manager of iDen & Quanjude, Wayne Pan, said this location had been a legendary restaurant in New York with over 60 years of history that once welcomed icons like David Bowie, Frank Sinatra and Truman Capote. It holds a deep meaning in many New Yorker's hearts, which is why the original decor from La Grenouille was preserved.

Quanjude is a historical restaurant chain established in 1864 to serve royalty from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It witnessed and weathered some of the most important historical events including World War II, the end of the monarchy in China and the founding of The People's Republic of China.

Over the past 150 years, its Beijing duck has become a national icon, with over 100 locations in China. It was also visited by several US presidents including Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

In its return to the North America market in 2019, Quanjude franchise iDen & Quanjude opened its Vancouver location, which is still going strong. It is also the only Michelin starred Chinese restaurant in Canada, and has received a Michelin star for three straight years.

The food critic from the Michelin Guide said, "It has a pedigree that traces back to an original location in Beijing from 1864, but the latest outpost in Vancouver proves that this legacy hasn't lost any of its luster. Indeed, the gold-accented dining room is a feast for the eyes, blending classic opulence with strikingly modern design."

According to Pan, the ducks they serve are from a farm in Pennsylvania and are high in fat. All the ducks are fresh and never frozen. Pan said, "we have high standards on our ducks. They are all the same size, packed six ducks per case, with the duck hair carefully removed and the skin kept completely intact and undamaged."

Pan explained that after all the organs are removed, the ducks are rinsed with hot water. Then, a special in-house sauce is applied to enhance the flavor and give them a rich, brown color. Afterward, the ducks are placed in a special drying cabinet for at least two days, which ensures the skin will be extra crispy. The final step involves roasting the ducks in an oven, as fire roasting is prohibited in New York.

Then the duck is ready to be served with leeks imported from China, cucumber from Tianjin, paired with sweet bean paste made in house with a recipe from Quanjude in Beijing and wrapped in paper-thin pancakes.

Other than the iconic Beijing duck, the New York menu features a selection of upscale dishes crafted with premium ingredients such as bird's nest, sea cucumber, fish maw, lobster and geoduck.

Currently, iDen & Quanjude in New York is in a soft opening. Pan said the second and third floors of the restaurant are still being decorated.

"I hope Chinese people can experience the taste of home here, because many of us from northern China feel so happy when we eat this duck. It's like the joy we get from eating KFC. I want Chinese people to feel at home, and I also hope Americans can experience the rich culture of Chinese food," said Pan, who also expressed the hope to promote Chinese high-end cuisine.

This is not the first attempt by a Chinese Peking duck restaurant chain to enter the US fine dining market. In 2017, Dadong, another renowned Peking duck chain from China, also ventured into Manhattan with a prime location near Bryant Park. However, Dadong filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors just over two years later. It was slammed by food critics. The New York Times ruthlessly called it "modern art and lame duck."

The reviews for the iDen & Quanjude New York location have been mixed. New York Post food critic Steve Cuozzo gave the compliment that, "The bird from Pennsylvania's Jurgielewicz farm was flavor-rich and winningly moist beneath its amber skin", and "The food is as grown-up as the vibe."

However, it didn't really impress Beijing native Jill Wang, 39, a Beijing duck enthusiast, who came after hearing about it on Red Note. She said, "It's too greasy, not crispy enough … I don't think the duck here reached the Quanjude (Beijing) standard."

"I like the environment here. This place used to be a French restaurant and they kept the decoration," said Jill's companion, Wei Wang from Shenyang. He mentioned he would also go to places in Flushing and Washington DC for Beijing duck, but compared with other places the duck here didn't really stand out.

iDen & Quanjude's success in Canada can be attributed to several key factors: its innovative decor featuring traditional Chinese elements, direct endorsement by the Michelin Guide, Quanjude's unrivaled reputation for Beijing duck worldwide and the significant Chinese population residing in Vancouver.

Only time will tell if iDen & Quanjude will survive New York's cutthroat dining landscape.

bilinlin@chinadailyusa.com