The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
April 25 - Ducks R Us
Our mornings have started with the breakfast buffet in the hotel's restaurant. There is an amazing variety of choices, although some seem very strange to Western tastes. It is also apparent that labor cost is not an overriding concern of Chinese restaurateurs. Every place we have been seems to have more staff than customers -- even the high volume places. What they don't seem to have is much service consciousness.
Continuing our exploration of Beijing duck, we discovered the Bian Yi Fang Roast Duck Restaurant. This one doesn't seem to do anywhere near the volume of Quanjude, but it has been in business -- get this -- for 590 years! I suspect the duck and skateboard motif was not part of their original look!
After lunch, we went across the street and stumbled into another world -- the Chinese market! Everyone was yelling, strange foods were piled everywhere and the place had an amazing energy to it. I don't think we are in Kansas anymore, Toto.
© 2008 Restaurant Doctor
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