Z&Y Peking Duck

At Z&Y Peking Duck, there’s a spotlit station in the back of the dining room. It’s where staff carves the titular duck into half-moon slices before it’s paraded through the space with the ceremoniousness of an Olympic torch relay. Which makes sense, because in SF’s duck universe, this version takes gold. So when you want to worship at the duck altar with a big group in Chinatown—and need a restaurant that’s a notch above casual—this is your place.

photo credit: Erin Ng

photo credit: Erin Ng

If you’re thinking that the name of this spot sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Z&Y Peking Duck is the swankier offshoot of Z&Y, the Sichuan legend right across the street. This spot has a somewhat similar menu aside from the duck—it covers classics and mouth-numbing favorites, from more mild xiao long bao to pork intestine in a mini flaming pot. The main difference, though, is the space itself. Sleek gas fire pits, like something you’d find in a North Bay backyard, blaze away by the door. The walls are dripping with exposed brick. And it’s much bigger than Z&Y: there’s an entire downstairs dining room, and plenty of tables equipped to pack in groups, from entire extended families to coworkers in logoed fleeces descending from a nearby high-rise.

photo credit: Erin Ng

photo credit: Erin Ng

photo credit: Erin Ng

So, the duck. You have to order it in advance—consider this your warning. Call ahead or make a note in your reservation, and the piles of glistening meat will be freshly carved for you when you arrive. The whole duck ($78, or $48 for a half-order) is comfortably shareable between four to six people—it comes with all the fixings, translucent flour pancakes, and skin that cracks audibly when you bite into it, like the last sliver of a peppermint candy. You’ll want to round out the meal with at least a couple of other non-duck entrées, like the slightly sweet twice-cooked pork and the chicken completely buried in fiery chilis. While not all of the entrées are runaway hits, you won’t leave noticeably disappointed. The only way to do that is to forget to pre-order your duck. 

This spot is our answer for nicer-than-normal group hangs in Chinatown, and you should add it to your roster for weeknight birthdays or dinner with the parents, too. It’s simple: if you want to spend a couple of hours slamming hot tea and making your way through a platter of meat, there’s no better place to do it.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Erin Ng

Whole Peking Duck

The SparkNotes version of this review: order the duck. It’s the headliner here and should be on your table at all costs.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Chicken With Explosive Chili Peppers

That one fourth grade field trip to Coloma finally paid off—sorting through the bright red chilis for pieces of chicken is like mining for gold, with a lot more short-term payoff. The fiery dish creates a not-insignificant mouth burn, but you won’t be crying out for milk, either.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Ma Po Tofu

A middling version of ma po tofu. It does the trick if you’re after that lip-numbing spice, but you probably won’t remember it by next week.

Twice-Cooked Pork

This pork belly entrée packs a nicely balanced sweet-salty-spicy punch. We’d order it again.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Xiao Long Bao

Pudgy at the top and decently soupy, these dumplings are a great side order to any night here.