Chinatown Brunch! Peking Duck House & Lam Zhou Handpulled Noodle

One evening, Anne texted me one of my favorite text messages ever received: "Han I am really craving duck, you want to eat some in Chinatown?"

Hello: Dream come true!
There is nothing I love more than some Chinatown duck! And friends who also crave it!

So we scheduled a ducky brunch @ Peking Duck House the following day.  I've been so curious about Peking duck after seeing Diana's previous entry about it.

Thanan and Anne shared jellyfish as an appetizer.  I didn't care to try this cold, clammy, jiggly dish, but I watched them chow down on it.

"Pretty vinegary."

While they feasted on jellyfish, the chef prepared our duck.  It was a pretty impressive display of duck slicing expertise.

The platter of beautiful duck with crispy skin was swiftly delivered to our table.

Pure beauty!

Here's how you traditionally eat Peking duck! (General cast of ingredients in no particular correct order)

1. Take a thin pancake.

2. Smear some hoisin sauce on the pancake.

3. Add some duck!  I like to have enough to span the diameter. :)

4. Add scallions and cucumber spears as desired.

5. Roll the sucker up and eat!

I know Peking Duck House is super touristy (as noted by a complete Caucasian customer base during our visit), but the duck was good!  It's pricey (~$44), which could buy you at least two complete roast birds anywhere else in Chinatown, but the quality of duck is better here.  The meat is lean but sufficiently moist, the skin is perfectly crispy on every piece (which you won't get in other typical spots), and it doesn't drip fat on you as you try to eat it (though that kinda duck is delicious too).  I enjoyed it!

After, Anne wanted to check out Lam Zhou's dry minced pork noodles.  I've only had the soup, so was game to try a new dish, as stuffed with duck as we were!  We also ordered the fried dumplings because it's pretty much expected/necessary/required.

Pulling our noodles fresh post-order

Checking in, naturally

Within minutes, the minced pork noodle dish was complete! Topped with boiled bok choy.

Anne prepared the dish for us to share by properly mixing everything to ensure every strand of noodle is coated in proper porkiness.

Thanan gets interested in the process.

And we are all amazed at the strength and length of the noodles!

The dumplings arrive; Thanan presents them with the finesse they deserve...Lam Zhou has my most favorite dumplings in Chinatown yet.

Thin wrapper + chivey pork filling + crispy bottom = perfect fried dumpling!

Anne dishes me up a small bowl of the noodle.  She's so good at portioning!

Without the broth, the noodles resemble spaghetti...Chinese spaghetti laced with pork sauce.  And it's a solid bowl of Chinese spaghetti at that.  I still prefer the brothy items though because I am just a soupy sorta girl.

Thanks for reviving my duck cravings, Anne!  I just ate some more duck today.  Gah!

Peking Duck House

28 Mott Street, New York - (212) 227-1810

Lam Zhou Hand Pulled Noodles

144 E Broadway

New York, NY