The journey to dinner involves a drive through a downtown that is evocative of the city scenes from Blade Runner.  Cars and people stream by for as far as the eye can see. 

Our destination tonight is the Tian Wai Tian restaurant in the heart of Beijing.  Tian Wai Tian specializes in Bejing Roast Duck or as more commonly known here in the US, Peking Duck.  Peking Duck is an extremely involved dish that requires many hours to prepare.  First a puff of air is used to separate the skin from the underlying fat layer.  Once the skin is separated, the duck is hung to dry before slow roasting in an oven.  The resulting duck has extremely crispy and tasty skin with a succulent layer of meat underneath.  The duck fat beneath the skin not only crisps the skin, but serves to marinate the underlying meat during the slow cooking process.  The duck is then sliced into thin layers and served with either thin crepes or flat bread with hoisin sauce, cucumbers and green onions.  Peking Duck is a legendary dish that was originally served to the Chinese emperor.  Today, it can be enjoyed around the world.  Since Beijing is where the dish originates in the first place, it is definitely not to be missed with any visit.

So close and yet so far...  The delicious smell is almost overwhelming as the chef expertly carves the duck into perfectly shaped thin slices.  Each slice has a lovely layer of crisp skin with the flavorful fat in between melding the flavors of the skin to the meat.  The process is surprisingly fast as before your eyes, the duck is transformed from a whole bird to a beautifully arranged dish of slices.  The number of ducks served at the restaurant in one evening must simply be staggering as duck after duck is made into an entree of wonderful Beijing Roast Duck.

Finally!  Two plates of Beijing Roast Duck sit alongside entrees of Sauteed Spicy Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken and Spicy Garlic Fish.  The Beijing Roast Duck is perfectly seasoned with the crispy skin serving as a flavorful complement to the succulent meat underneath.  The Hoisin sauce provides a savory/sweet kick to the duck and helps to enhance the flavor of the duck.  The cucumber provides a refreshing accent that is complemented by the spiciness of the fresh green onions.  A tremendously flavorful combination, it is no wonder that Beijing Roast Duck was a favorite of the ancient Chinese royalty.   Spicy is the theme of the evening with each of the other dishes packing a powerful, but flavorful punch.  Rather than overwhelming the other flavorings in the dish, the peppers serve to enhance and sharpen the character of the ingredients.  Surprisingly, the vacuum packed orange juice serves as an interesting accompaniment to the spicy flavors of the evening.  Overall, the restaurant does not disappoint and sets a fine standard for what quality Chinese cuisine should be like. 

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