Chinese Roast Duck to Take Away
Sunday, 20. July 2008, 06:23:47
I have always been wanting to try Chinese Roast Duck, but I have not tried so far, because... I wasn't sure if I like it. 
I like duck, but I am not particularly keen on the Chinese spices used for the roast. I did not have the courage to eat a plateful of roast duck that I might not like. So I decided to go for Take Away!
If I can take it home, I can eat as much as I can/want, and keep the rest in the fridge.
This is half a duck.
I did order half a duck, but it seems there is more than a half. I think I am seeing two legs. Did they put two legs, instead of putting one breast and one leg? Who knows, as this is my first try.
Cost of half a duck is £8.50 and a whole duck is £16 I believe.
In Birmingham Chinatown, there are 5 or 6 shops selling various kinds of roasted meat both to eat in and take away. I don't know if the meats are cooked on the promises or they just buy in from whole sellers. These shops are really small and I don't see such a large oven to cook big birds like ducks. It is not about cooking a 5 or 6 birds a day; it should be order of tens, as these roasts sell as if fly away!
Close-up of duck.
Do you see the holy trinity of crispy skin, white fat and pink-grey meat? Wow, beautiful. And taste? It was heavenly. It was fragrant, soft, juicy and ... meaty-fatty. Spicing was not strong as I was afraid. It was very nice!
However, I could not manage to eat more then 5 or 6 pieces at a time as it was so full of fat! And I don't through fat away, as it is the best part of duck! He he
. The rest of the bird is sleeping in the fridge, and I will enjoy it for some days! 
I like duck, but I am not particularly keen on the Chinese spices used for the roast. I did not have the courage to eat a plateful of roast duck that I might not like. So I decided to go for Take Away!
If I can take it home, I can eat as much as I can/want, and keep the rest in the fridge.
This is half a duck.
I did order half a duck, but it seems there is more than a half. I think I am seeing two legs. Did they put two legs, instead of putting one breast and one leg? Who knows, as this is my first try.
Cost of half a duck is £8.50 and a whole duck is £16 I believe.
In Birmingham Chinatown, there are 5 or 6 shops selling various kinds of roasted meat both to eat in and take away. I don't know if the meats are cooked on the promises or they just buy in from whole sellers. These shops are really small and I don't see such a large oven to cook big birds like ducks. It is not about cooking a 5 or 6 birds a day; it should be order of tens, as these roasts sell as if fly away!
Close-up of duck.
Do you see the holy trinity of crispy skin, white fat and pink-grey meat? Wow, beautiful. And taste? It was heavenly. It was fragrant, soft, juicy and ... meaty-fatty. Spicing was not strong as I was afraid. It was very nice!
However, I could not manage to eat more then 5 or 6 pieces at a time as it was so full of fat! And I don't through fat away, as it is the best part of duck! He he
. The rest of the bird is sleeping in the fridge, and I will enjoy it for some days! 
WIDGETIZE
Leonore # 20. July 2008, 06:35
Froggy # 22. July 2008, 06:07
The duck looks lovely! I can only imagine the taste of it, from what you described... and that's enough to make me drool!
What do you eat the roasted duck with?
Kayoko # 27. July 2008, 21:28
I have been relocating to a new flat and did not have time to check the opera comunity!
AND I have just written the replies, then I've got error message and have lost everything!
Kayoko # 27. July 2008, 21:30
Hello Shinjitsu,
This duck came with a mixture of soy sauce, oil and something else, so I ate with it. However, the duck was pretty well seasoned and I could eat it on its own.
The plum sauce that I find here tends to be too sweet. Do you have a favorite brand, or do you make it by yourself?
Kayoko # 27. July 2008, 21:37
I am pretty sure that you can find the same staff also in KL. Roast duck and roast chicken are the typical things sold by Cantonese places in UK. Often you see them hang in their show window.
I ate it with white rice, as many CHinese people do, but I have seen it eaten also with noodle in soup. I have not tried yet, but it should work well. You can eat it on itsown, of course
Kayoko # 27. July 2008, 21:52
I am pretty sure that you can find the same staff also in KL. Roast duck and roast chicken are the typical things sold by Cantonese places in UK. Often you see them hang in their show window.
I ate it with white rice, as many CHinese people do, but I have seen it eaten also with noodle in soup. I have not tried yet, but it should work well. You can eat it on itsown, of course
Leonore # 27. July 2008, 23:57
Froggy # 28. July 2008, 12:21
Yea, Opera is a bit moody these days, uh?
Yea, you are right.. there are lots of ducks "hanging" in cafes/stalls here. I think I would have the stomach to order some, if I didn't see them ducks hanging with their heads still attached
With rice, noodles.. on its own, all sounds yummy!
Kayoko # 3. August 2008, 07:45
Opera community is driving me nuts these days
Anyway...
Oh, you ghave to try hanging ducks! You can ask chef to chop the head off and not put it on your plate. For some reason, the Chinese, especially the continental Chinese, prefer to see the entire body of birds when eating them. I remember that offspring was complaining about it (evidently the Singaporean Chinese are not used to it).
Just... it is highly carolific because of all the fat under the skin, so I recommend you to do as I do (take some back home and eat it in small portions) or go to eat it some friends.
Kayoko # 5. August 2008, 16:08
to be honest, i have tried plum sauce only once or twice and it is all in the thick mist of historical past
offspring # 17. August 2008, 20:10
Kayoko # 18. August 2008, 15:16
It has been a long time! (although I visit your blog from time to time).
I did not have my usual Chinese meal this weekend and I am already craving for it!
Froggy # 3. September 2008, 01:04
I've been away from OPERA for quite a while, so I've been spared of the 'nuttiness' of it
Hanging ducks! Yea asking the head to be chopped off first is a good idea
I've seen documentaries of roasted ducks in China and it seems that it's a very important dish. The roasting itself has to be with a proper techniques, to get the amazing color.
Offspring was complaining too?
Kayoko # 10. September 2008, 16:21
I have been away from Birmingham and from my computers for a while and have not noticed you commented about the 'nuttiness' of Opera
Yea, Offspring was complaining about a chicken head served together with some chicken dish he ordered in China.
I have seen a documentary about how the roasted ducks are made in a factory in England
Froggy # 11. September 2008, 00:51
Ahh.. so you have been spared of OPERA 'nuttiness' for a while too then
Head served together in a dish?
Ahh.. so there are ready-made ducks. Well, I guess it's reasonable since the process of making it ( from what I watched in documentaries ) is not easy.
Hmm.. but made in factory? Now, thats an
Kayoko # 16. September 2008, 15:44
Next time I find a photo of a chicken served with its head, I will show the photo
Chinese roast ducks seem to require also a large oven, so I think it make sense for smaller restaurants to buy them in, I think. The factory I saw on the tv was not large like a car factory, but it was larger than a "kitchen" or "laboratory". I don't know if we should call it "mass-production", but much of the procedure was automatised, like temperature management.
Writing this I started to feel hungry
Froggy # 19. September 2008, 05:35
Ahh.. no no no! Don't show me the photo!
Ahh.. so it wasn't like a car factory then
You been busy? Haven't seen you blog for quite a while now..