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Quanjude 全聚德 Roast Duck Restaurant shown in the old photograph below has been in operation since 1864. It invented one of two famous ways to prepare Peking duck. At Quanjude the duck is roasted over a wood fire. This gives a different taste than the other method used by the other famous roast duck restaurant, Bianyifang 便宜坊 (Biányifāng).
Bianyifang roasts their duck in a brick oven that has been previously heated with burning sorghum; once the walls are hot the ducks are placed inside and cooked with the heat given off from the walls. The sorghum gives an extra flavor. The two methods create a different taste and texture.
The duck is served in thin slices. At most better restaurants the duck is sliced near your table by an expert. The duck is eaten by placing a slice or two inside a very thin pancake called a bing. You then add thin slices of large scallions, sticks of cucumber and duck sauce - roll the whole thing up and bite. The duck sauce is as important to the brand as the method of preparation. The famous restaurants do a brisk side business by selling their sauce both at the restaurant and in the retail market.
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