Peking duck is one of the finest dishes of Chinese cuisine, and in Amsterdam you will find it in surprisingly many places. But there is a big difference between a rushed version and a duck that is prepared with care and carved at your table. This guide helps you choose.

What makes a great Peking duck?

You recognise a real Peking duck by a few things:

• Crisp, lacquered skin. Thin, glossy and crunchy, the result of patient drying and lacquering.
• Carved at your table. The staff carve the duck for you, as tradition dictates.
• Served in courses. One whole duck yields more than a single course: the skin with pancakes, the meat, and often a soup from the carcass.
• Freshly prepared. A good duck takes preparation, which is why reserving ahead is almost always wise.

What to look for when choosing

Not every Peking duck is the same. Pay attention to whether the restaurant makes it a specialty rather than one dish among dozens. A place that carves the duck at the table and serves it in the traditional courses takes the dish seriously. And because a good duck takes preparation, it pays to reserve ahead and mention that you would like the duck, so it is ready and fresh for you.

Peking duck in the centre of Amsterdam

Many well-known addresses for Chinese cuisine are around the Zeedijk and the city centre. If you want Peking duck in its classic, elaborate form, look for a restaurant that makes it a specialty.

At Sichuan Food, Peking duck has been the signature dish for decades, traditionally served in three courses.

Sichuan Food, at Reguliersdwarsstraat 35 near Rembrandtplein, is known for exactly that: the Peking duck in three courses. The restaurant was once the first Chinese restaurant in the Netherlands to be awarded a Michelin star, and you still taste that care in the preparation. You can read more about that history here.

The three courses, briefly

From one duck come three moments: first the crispy skin with thin pancakes, spring onion, cucumber and hoisin sauce. Then the tender meat, stir-fried with fresh vegetables. And finally a clear soup, drawn from the carcass. Want to know exactly how the ritual unfolds? Read our article on the Peking duck in three courses.

Practical tips

• Reserve ahead and mention that you would like the Peking duck, so it is ready for you.
• One duck is usually enough for two to four people.
• Take your time: it is a dish to enjoy, not a quick bite.