Don't Just Go for the Duck: Pan-Chinese at Opposite House

You might think that this city doesn’t need another roast duck restaurant. You are probably correct. Luckily, The Opposite House doesn’t care. They serve duck, yes, but there is much more to Jing Yaa Tang than that. The menu is “pan-China” and skips across the provinces with accessible, refined renditions of classics: a well-balanced, though mild koushuiji (poached chicken in chili sauce, RMB 48), lamb chuanr (RMB 18 per piece), zhajiang noodles (RMB 48).

Brilliant orange and red, the chilled cherry tomatoes marinated in plum sauce (RMB 48) tumble out of a ribbon of leaf encircling the tiny heap of lycopene. These small extraordinary gems come skinned, nude memories of summer. Nutty young shoots of Chinese toon cascade off of a deep ochre tangle of elastic cordycep mushrooms (RMB 58).

A stratum of spinach caps a square of soft homemade beancurd (RMB 38), its delicate texture well-paired with the pool of pumpkin puree and rich matsutake mushrooms. After its journey from the outskirts of Beijing, the duck (whole, RMB 238/half, RMB 138) brings a certain countryside vitality to marry with the deep notes of the date wood stoking the oven.

The wonderfully crispy skin and the delicate meat may be de rigeur, but there are welcomed breaks from convention, too. In the sides, there is the unanticipated julienned melon and fried minced garlic. Rather than soup, whole orders are accompanied by a dish of stir-fried shredded duck, bamboo shoot, sausage and mushrooms to be wrapped in lettuce leaves.

The kitchen takes country fare and polishes it for the white tablecloth. Consider a lesser-revered fowl, the pigeon (RMB 88). A coarser cousin to the duck, its roasted meat is darker, tasting of a life less indulged. If experience discourages you from ordering sweets in a Chinese restaurant, put some faith in the kitchen. The fried butter cream cake (RMB 28) is a misnomer. Is this is an old Beijing snack, not simply, delightfully airy beignets?

Strong vanilla notes run through the custard of the egg tarts (three, RMB 38) as the buttery crust flakes off in neat circles.

Jing Yaa Tang 京雅堂
Daily noon-10.30pm. B1/F, The Opposite House, Taikoo Li North, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (6410 5230)
朝阳区三里屯路11号太古里北区地下1层
 

Also try: Da Dong, Made in China

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Photo: Ken