ROAST DUCKKING @ Lot 10 Hutong

What caught my attention at Duckking was the glistening red skin of the roast ducks hanging in the glass case. Jimmy Liew, the owner was quick to point out that the bright scarlet hues on his ducks were actually from marinating them with a mixture of red vinegar and rose wine (“mui gwai lo”).

“Oh don’t worry, we don’t use synthetic colouring on our ducks, ever!” “I learned this from my grandmother, who used to apprentice under several great chefs in Zhongshan, Guangdong”, explained Jimmy. Needless to say, as a young boy, Jimmy loved hanging out in his grandmother’s kitchen where he picked up her recipes and culinary skills as his love for food grew.

Pretty ducks in a row

For many years, Jimmy’s love of good food remained just that – an indulgence of the senses. He developed his construction and renovation business and expanded to Brunei. Feeling that he needed a little diversion, an opportunity to divest into the F&B field rose when he partnered up with some friends in this venture. With restaurants in Selayang and Brunei, Jimmy’s homage to his grandmother’s roast duck legacy took form when Tan Sri Francis Yeoh, upon the recommendation from Hong Kong’s celebrity food critic, Choi Lan, urged Jimmy to set up stall in Lot 10 Hutong. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Jimmy’s Duckking Roast Duck counter in Lot 10 Hutong is indeed eye-catching and it’s true, the visual feast is just the beginning. When our plate of half a roast duck was placed on our table, it didn’t take us long to dig in and savour the succulent and tender well-roasted meat. Oozing delicate herbal juiciness, we had to order plain rice to mop up every bit of the jus and flavoursome duck.

We tried the Char Siu and Siu Yook (roast pork) and those were excellent too. Beautifully layered with fats and lean meat, they did not disappoint. If I have to file a grouse, then it has to be the chilli sauce – which I felt was too watery and a bit bland.

Besides duck and pork, we also tried the poached chicken and Jimmy’s signature Braised Duck Wings. The poached chicken was just average but the ginger dip was good. The duck wings, braised Teochew-style were well-flavoured with spices and dark soya sauce – I enjoyed them and it’s something I would order again, besides the roast duck.