DaDong (the nickname for Zhenxiang Dong) is a celebrity chef in China and, to me, he is the Chinese Robuchon. like his French counterpart, he has opened scores of restaurants bearing his name, in China and, more recently, in New York.
He is regarded as an innovator in Chinese cuisine, both from a technical point of view and in terms of philosophy. His signature dish is the Peking Duck: he innovated the preparation techniques (for example using a spherical oven) with unique results. The Peking duck was what I was after when I booked a lunch at one of the Da Dong’s restaurants in Shanghai (one of the two that got a star in the Michelin Guide 2019, the one in Jingan district).
The visit
I arrived a bit early and the table was not ready yet. On a Saturday for lunch the restaurant was packed. At 1pm, the time of my original booking, the table was ready. So far so good.
I should add that some websites say that the restaurant is located on the 5th floor of Reel Mall. But that’s incorrect! It is actually the 5th floor of Park Place, the office tower adjacent to the mall. To get to the right spot, pictured above, you have to go around the mall and turn right into Changde Road (ignore the address on Nanjing West Road). Then look for the elevators serving the first five floors on the right of the turnstiles.
They had some tables for solo diners like me or small groups next to the windows with a nice view of Changde Road. That was a plus!
I was handed the menus (including one for drinks and one for seasonal dishes) that looked like an encyclopedia. All dishes were beautifully illustrated and translated into English. Ordering was easy. But they should also provide bookmarks.
The menu is not only about ducks. There are so many interesting dishes, including seafood. The chef seems to have a soft spot for sea cucumbers and the menu also includes crabs, bird’s nest dishes, wagyu beef, and some rarities like coral trout or sun-flower chicken rice.
The dining room was large and a bit nosy with some modern touches in the decorations.
I ordered a couple of appetizers. The first was tofu with spring onions. It was such a delicate dish and nicely presented too.
Then I had a selection of Beijing crispy crepes. The crepes formed a multi-colored bouquet with fruit toppings: mango, watermelon, dragon fruit, winter melon, and, I believe, olives. The crepes were “floating” on a base of mayonnaise that I found unnecessary (but I can see that in China is used everywhere).
Then the duck arrived and, as per tradition, it was carved in front of me. Specifically, I had ordered the suckling duck, a bit smaller than the regular one (but same price). It was just enough for me. Da Dong’s duck is called “subuni” that means crispy and not greasy.
The result of the carving was a beautifully arranged “pile” of meat (looking like a tortoise) with the precious skin on top. The head, sliced in two, and the two legs were placed on a separate plate. The picture also shows the traditional condiments including spring onion, garlic, cucumber, sugar and the sweet bean sauce. I was instructed to dip the meat in the sugar and then in the sauce. Actually, the meat was so good and tender that I did not find much use of the sauce.
I also had some caviar as a condiment (it was not expensive). I appreciated that it was served with a mother of pearl spoon as it should (in theory, metal cutlery may mess with the organic properties of the caviar).
I was also provided with a good quantity of steamed pancakes to use to wrap the meat and the condiments.
Finally the waiter helped to fill a sesame bun (still hot) with meat and condiments. I wish I had more of these buns. Next time I shall ask.
Here’s the filled bun and pancake and a piece of skin with caviar ready to be eaten.
This was not my first Peking duck. What surprised me was the flavor and the softness of the skin that would literally melt in my mouth. For this reason (call me a barbarian if you are an expert in Chinese cuisine), I did not feel the need to play too much with the condiments and I would just eat and enjoy some meat complemented in the same bite by a piece of skin adding flavor to the mix.
After a while I was also brought a soup made with the duck bones. The flavor was not too strong and it was a nice add-on.
To drink I just had a pot of Jasmine tea (one of the most regular teas on the menu).
At the end I was offered, free of charge, a fruit platter, with some first-class grapes and some slices of watermelon.
The check
Total check was 540 RMB (80 USD) for a fabulous lunch. Given the standard, I cannot complain about what I paid. Actually, it did not feel expensive. The duck was 298 RMB and I noticed around town that this is actually an average price, with many restaurants charging 10, 20, 30% more. Price-wise, one of the things I liked is that they had a lot of beautifully prepared dishes that would cost only a few dollars (like my tofu). I really like a restaurant that does not try to overcharge side dishes and gives value to its customers. In the menu you can literally find anything from 2 to 200 USD and also the dishes on the lower-end of the economic spectrum are given a lot of care in the preparation and presentation. That’s something to praise.
I can see why Da Dong is a darling of the Michelin Guide. The dishes are not only good, prepared with care, but are also masterfully presented and infused with creativity. By no mistake DaDong is regarded as an innovator who created his own brand of Chinese cuisine: Yijing or “transcendental”.
I did not expect much from this restaurant and, maybe for this reason, by the end of my lunch, I was completely won over and I plan to go back.
Where in Shanghai:
5F, Park Place, 1601 Nanjing Xi Lu (West Road)
In Chinese: 南京西路1601号 (but read the visit description for indications how to get to the restaurant).
Nearest metro: Jingan temple (both line 2 and 7, take exit 4, but then walk to Park Place building on Changde road (do not enter the mall), next to the Puli hotel.