New York is no stranger to Peking duck, so the arrival of DaDong — a roast duck chain in China that has some Michelin-starred locations — has locals appropriately amped for this more upscale entrant: 2,500 reservations disappeared as soon as they were available, booking the restaurant through February. As of December 8, those few lucky New Yorkers will be among the first to get a taste of the signature crispy exterior and juicy meat when DaDong opens in Midtown at 3 Bryant Park near 42nd Street.
Chef-owner Dong Zhenxiang (“da” means “big” in Chinese) is fastidious about his duck — he’s worked with a farm in Indiana to raise a particular breed for him and had specific ovens shipped out from China — and anticipates going through 450 a week. Here, they’re running for $98 for a whole duck and $58 for a half, accompanied by pancakes, sesame buns, and sauces; caviar can be added for an extra $42. It’s certainly a luxe step up from Peking Duck House, where a whole duck costs $56.
Beyond the bird, the vast menu employs ingredients from several cultures and has a playful attitude, with dishes such as sticky rice wrapped with Iberico ham, a hot and sour scallop “cappuccino” soup, kung pao chicken, and layered crispy pancakes with Parmigiano cheese. It’s a veritable book, with each dish getting its own page and photo — in full below.
The space, in turn, is large as well, with 17,500-square-feet at its disposal, divided into a 34-seat bar and 150-seat dining room on the second floor and a smaller 11-seat bar and 150 seats out on the terrace. Up on the third floor is a 76-seat room that only offers a chef’s tasting menu. Architect George Wong commissioned Chinese artists Cindy Ng, Helen Poon, and Anthony Davy of d’Art to create installations inspired by Chinese poetry.
DaDong opens Friday, December 8 and will be open Monday through Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
DaDong Dinner Menu by Anonymous sIxp2JcBp on Scribd