Dear Steemit friends，
Do you remember in a previous post I introduced everyone to the most famous food in Beijing - Beijing Roast Duck. There's nothing better than eating this famous dish in it's home town, the authenticity is hard to beat, notably different from the Roast Duck styles you'll find in the west. Remember how many different ways there are to eat Beijing Roast Duck? Three different ways and 8 different sauces! Check out my other post about Roast duck HERE for a reminder.
You might wonder, in a roast duck restaurant, is duck the only thing we eat?
The answer is No! Today, i'll show you some of the things we eat along side the duck.
All pictures below other than those marked with sources are of my own photography
My favourite duck restaurant
I am very excited to introduce the Da Dong Peking Roast Duck Restaurant.
East Gate of Workers Stadium, Beijing.
010-65511808
What makes this restaurant stand out is that they take traditional Pekingese dishes, and then put their own unique spin making for an authentic and yet uniquely tasty dish. I fell in love with this restaurant the first time I came, I was blow away by how creative their roast duck was as well as their other signature dishes. Leaving such a deep impression, I've become a regular diner at this restaurant.
Da Dong is also the first choice for many foreigners. In the APEC, the Japanese premier, Korean foreign minister both chose to dine at Da Dong at the same time! Even Michelle Obama's family chose Da Dong as the first restaurant to dine at when they arrived in Beijing.
Mr. Da Dong
The founder of Da Dong is none other than Mr. Da Dong himself. He's the first chef in China to get an MBA and a pioneer in "Molecular cuisine". Although there are different styles of roast duck, he was the first to use this method to create roast duck in a completely new and unique way. Mr. Da Dong is now planning to open a restaurant in New York, perhaps you may meet him in the US one day!
What is Molecular Cuisine?
Molecular cuisine is a method of cooking that borrows some scientific tools to create some extra zing in the food. Sometimes it's morphological changes, other times it's some sensory surprises. In any case, it's always very creative. You will commonly find this term used to describe dishes in Michelin Star Restaurants.
The Fat Duck is one of the most famous restaurants featuring molecular cuisine. It's a 3 star Michelin Restaurant in London. The dish above is the Jelly of Quail with Crayfish Creme. Unfortunately, I still haven't had the opportunity to try this restaurant because not only is it ultra exclusive and hard to get a booking, it's also extremely expensive!
Before coming to Da Dong, I never thought that we'd have a restaurant with Molecular Cuisine fused with Chinese Cuisine.
“Pekingnese Michelin” & “Chinese Poems”
If you plan to visit Beijing, then it goes without saying that you must try Da Dong. However, today we will not talk about roast duck, lets talk about the creative dishes they offer and how they contrast with dishes in western cuisine.
Starters
Western Cold Dishes
Source
Lettuce with Sesame Sause
This dish is an appetiser, and they've inserted ice into the lettuce making it look more natural and healthy, like when they bud in spring. When the waitress serves the dish, they will also introduce the ingredients of the dish then proceed to read a poem about the dish giving it a Chinese charm.
"Artemisia is a gift to relatives and friends, take a walk into the mountain forest and avoid the fights of the world". This is meant to express the joys of a peasant's family life.
Main courses---Beef
Beef in the West
Source
Stir-fried Diced Beef in Spicy Black Bean Sauce
The beef cooked with black bean sauce and pepper garnish, it's very delicious.
The poem for this dish : "Love the flower when it opens, wait not for the flower to wither. Follow your heart and go after love, waste not the time and avoid regret of missed opportunity."
This dish is offered in the "Michelle Menu"
Dessert
Plum candy and Chinese yam
This is purple yam in it's original form.
After Mr. Da Dong performs his Molecular Culinary art, the Chinese Yam is infused with plum candy. It tastes a bit like mashed potato and is not too oily.
Mango in Western desserts
Source
Mango Sago Cream with Pekingnese Cheese Roll
I've eaten Mango Sago Cream many times before, but never like this. The outside layer of the Mango is ice skin, around it is the Pekingnese Cheese rolls scattered on the plate. The poem for this dessert is : "Life is like a dream, regardless of glory or condemnation, such is life. Raise a glass, to the river and the moon".
This poem is meant to express the importance of having a positive attitude towards life. To set aside resentment and not let obstacles be taken to heart. Only then can we be free.
The presentation of this dish is really beautiful, the ice flows like the river, and the mango sagao cream is like the moon.
This is what Mango Sago Cream normally looks like.
Source
Hope you liked the creative dishes with accompanying poems, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
亲爱的Steemit朋友们，你们还记得在之前的文章里，我带大家去探寻了北京最著名的食物——北京烤鸭。它有着不同于西方烹饪鸭子的独特的做法，还有8种配料和3种吃法，你可以在这里找到。
我最喜欢的烤鸭店我非常激动要带你们去探索的餐厅就是大董烤鸭店。这家餐厅的特点是，它们善于把北京菜改良并创新。当我第一次去这家餐厅，它的烤鸭和配菜一下子吸引了我，给我留下非常深刻的印象，之后我成为了餐厅的常客。
什么是分子料理？分子料理其实就是把食物的形态改变，让食物吃起来更有令人惊讶的创意。分子料理大多存在于外国的米其林餐厅。在我走进大董烤鸭之前，我也很难想象当分子料理遇到中国菜，是什么样的状况。。
“北京式米其林” & “中国诗词” 前餐：麻酱油麦菜上菜的时候，服务员会像国外米其林餐厅一样，详细解释菜的用料。之后还会念一首配合菜的中国诗词，让整道菜更有中国韵味和意境。“蓼茸蒿笋试春盘 人间有味是清欢” 把蓼芽与蒿茎作为立春时送给亲友的礼物，原来走进山林，远离世俗争斗，感受农家素朴的清茶淡饭生活是最欢愉的。主菜：招牌豉椒牛仔粒豉椒的酱香非常入味，干辣鲜美味道。这道菜服务员念到的诗词是：爱惜芳时，莫待无花空折枝。要爱惜花儿盛开的时候，等到花凋谢，你想去折枝采花也没有的采了。甜点：话梅山药这是紫山药的原本样子。在经过大董先生分子料理改造后，与话梅融合，变成了象土豆泥一样的甜点，非常好吃，不腻。杨枝甘露配老北京奶卷杨枝甘露是我第一次看到这种样子的，外面是一层冰皮，盘子里撒的是老北京奶卷。这个甜点所配诗词：人生如梦，一尊还酹江月。人生就像一场梦，无论辉煌还是低谷都是一辈子，还是用一杯酒祭奠江水和月亮。这个摆盘非常漂亮，白色的冰片象江水，黄色的芒果象月亮。
希望你们能够喜欢北京餐厅里的美丽诗词配上神秘的创意菜，不知道你们对把菜配上诗词是什么看法呢?
If you are interested in my other blogs related to Food please check out these other blogs below ^^
Miss. Delicious: My experience with London's art of food #1—— Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
A thousand years ago, I was an Empress!
Eating Oysters is all about the mood and feel..
The night bazaars of Xi'an - A walk through Hui Street.
Food Friday! Japanese foods help to refresh the taste buds in the mouth .
Introducing Steemit to the best duck in town.
