The Place
Located in a residential area near Longkou Xi Lu and Longkou Dong Lu, Xi Jingjing Beijing Duck Restaurant brings Guangzhouers a medley of North China delicacies. Prominently positioned along the bustling Tianhe Bei Lu, passersby would be hard pressed to overlook this restaurant, which is patronized by hungry families and groups of friends queuing up for the oil-heavy food.
The Food
While this eatery does offer an array of celebrated Northern-style dishes, we have to be honest and admit we visited Xi Jingjing for one thing and one thing only: the duck (RMB108 half bird/RMB198 full bird).
The bird carcass arrived at our table plump and cooked to perfection. Upon digging in, the rich bird meat immediately reminded us of time spent in Hebei, where we often scooped up a roadside roasted duck as a quick and affordable meal.
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
The waitress was even so kind as to demonstrate how to make a proper wrap, adding a couple slices of cucumber, fresh spring onions, thick and flavorful duck sauce and, of course, duck meat. We found the quality of the meat to be passable, with crispy skin draped over the tender dark cuts. The meat lacked the extra juiciness we’ve come to expect while not being overly dry either.
We also got our hands on the restaurant’s thousand layered beef cakes (RMB32 for six), which provide a nice, savory crunch. Depending on how many people you have, you may want to get two orders of these bad boys. Between the roasted duck and the beef-laden flatbreads, we came away thinking Xi Jingjing provides a quality Northern-style meal, although you’d still need to catch a plane to sample the real deal.
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That's
The Vibe
The restaurant has an elegant design with drop-down lights illuminating each table, while the rest of the dining area remains a shade or two darker. Chatter from tables of families and friends fills the open room and an impressive rock feature in its center imbues the restaurant with a dose of feng shui.
Price: RMB150-250
Who’s going: young families, duck lovers
Good for: a sample of Northern cuisine, a filling meal
Nearest metro: Huashi (Exit B), 10 minutes
See listing for Xi Jingjing Beijing Duck Restaurant.
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