Cycle 14 – Item 168

22 (Thu) June 2023

Beijing Duck

1.5

at Beijing Duck

-Sinsa, Gangnam, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with W and MIL

As W and I were roaming around the neighborhood to find a place for dinner, we passed by Beijing Duck and couldn’t believe that it’s still in operation.  The restaurant was featured once to a mediocre review in Cycle 1 (see 1.271 Beijing Duck).  So we decided to give the place another shot – maybe it’s better than we remembered, or improved.

Come to think of it, given the restaurant’s location on the main road, right next to the subway station, we’ve passed by countless times over the years but never gave the place a second thought – the dilapidated signage and darkened windows give the impression that it’s closed.

The menu was disappointingly limited, even by Korean standards.  Beyond duck (double in price from 13 years ago), the menu had only 5 other options, including Japanese-style soba and Korean-style so myeon.

Even worse than we remembered.  The skins were okay, though not crispy enough, and a tad underseasoned.  The meat was dry and bland.  The pancakes were doughy in taste and texture.  The sides and “sources” (sauces) were odd, if unremarkable.  And too big of a portion – the half duck had us full halfway through, but we kept eating until we were thoroughly sick of it – maybe that’s why the menu doesn’t offer much else.

And the plating – seriously, WTF?

If, by some miracle, the restaurant remains open until 2036, we’ll give it another shot.  Until then, not.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)