Doing Chinese like the Chinese do

My first experience of Chinese (food) in Singapore was NOT one to be repeated. It was from a hawker market and even thinking about makes me want to sick in my mouth a bit. I boldly ordered what looked like Teriyaki Chicken and green beans, thinking this was a safe bet. What a fool. I don't think there was any part of that chicken left out of my meal, everything, innards, skin, feet you name it, it was hidden in there drowning in sauce, and the one saving grace- the green beans, turned out to be spring onions. Massive Fail.

Hawker market 1- Sian 0

Due to this experience I was understandably sceptical about Chinese food round 2, when we got invited out by friends of Brads. Fortunately it was a dramatically different experience. We met up with Brads friend and his wife at a Restaurant after work on Friday night, I clocked a McDonalds on the way there incase a similar sequence of events would unfold. My spirits were lifted and expectations raised by the glass of champagne at the bar on arrival- maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

The Restaurant's signature dish was the peking duck (also the restaurants name) and it was the first place I have been to where it is not served all puled apart by forks on a plate.

This is what comes first, really crispy duck skin which you dip into sugar and plum sauce.
Due to my lack of chopstick prowess, I only got one bit :(
need to work on my skills, think i'll practice next weekend with grains of rice.

Once you have eaten the ducks skin (or in my case prodded at it with 2 sticks) the whole pancake shabazz begins which we are most familiar with.I am not actually a big duck fan but they cook and present it beautifully so i gave it a whirl. Not bad China, not bad, I will eat this again.

The duck didn't finish there. When the rest of the meal was brought to the table a typical mix match of meat and fish dishes, the rest of the duck (I dread to think how big it was) was prepared on the bone in a sauce with ginger and pak choy. Waste not want not. Again I struggled to get fully involved due to my amateur chopsticking, I am however a dab hand at poring wine, so after clocking the waitresses unacceptably slow refill pace, I releived her of this duty and took it upon myself to keep us all (myself) topped up. I blame Saturday mornings hangover on the fact I did not have a fork. From now on I will carry my own fork.

I will continue to update on the rest of the weekends events, but in the meantime I strongly recommend finding your nearest Chinese restaurant that serves duck this way, preorder a whole one and book a massive table. Oh and bring your own cutlery.

Random Fact: Here they refer to an unprepared chicken breast in a supermarket as "chicken with hormones" If ever you find yourself in a situation similar to I did where they ask if you would like your chicken "with or without hormones" go with a firm "No" do not let curiosity get the better of you.

Speak soon

XXX