BUSINESSMEN loved the restaurant. In the early 1980s they treated their overseas clients to dinner at the newly opened Peking Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui, which was famous for its duck.
The delicious meat and the creative way of eating Peking duck (rolled in a thin wrapper with slices of cucumber and spring onion) was fascinating to foreigners, as well as an entertaining show. At the time, cooks would prepare the whole duck on a small cart in front of the diners. The smell of freshly roasted duck filled the air, and it was wonderful to watch the cooks skilfully carving the duck.
Today, its popularity seems unchanged. On a Friday evening, locals and Western tourists crowded around the reception desk waiting for tables. Traditional furniture adorns the small lobby, Chinese paintings hang on the white walls, and the restaurant still looks formal and elegant. Three friends and I entered with high hopes for a good dinner.
The starter was our favourite: chilled bean vermicelli with shredded chicken ($70). Served cold, the dish is a summer delicacy. Mixed with peanut sauce and crispy cucumber, it was cooling and refreshing. Seafood and vegetable soup ($80), which contained shrimp, fish and egg white, was also simple and delicious.
When it comes to Beijing cuisine, one just can't give the dumplings a miss. In northern China, they're sold by the catty, and $1 will get you a full meal of them.
At Peking Garden, a bowl of 10 boiled vegetable and pork dumplings cost $50. Served in a hot soup, they were smooth and juicy, and even better dipped in red vinegar.
Our next dish of braised bamboo shoots with black mushrooms ($98) was disappointing because the mushrooms were rough and of low quality. Braised Tien Tsin cabbage with Yunnan ham ($76) was also unimpressive, because the salt in the Yunnan ham overwhelmed the delicate flavour of the fresh and juicy cabbage.