Ziguangyuan is a well-known halal old brand in Beijing. Besides the milk-skin yoghurt people know it for, its roast duck and Beijing cooking are good value, and both locals and visitors eat here.
The duck
- How it is roasted
- Halal, fruitwood, hung-oven style, with a consistent duck. The skin comes out date-red and amber, crisp enough to shatter; the meat is tender and the fat moderate — less rich than some of the big traditional names, so it does not sit heavily.
- What comes with it
- Beyond the usual sweet bean sauce, scallion and cucumber, there is caster sugar for the skin, garlic mash and hawthorn strips. Refills of the condiments are free.
- The pancakes
- The pancakes are steamed to order — thin, elastic, with some bite. Some diners note that at certain branches they go dry or tacky if they sit.
What it costs
- Per person
- About 70 to 100 yuan, which is very affordable.
- The duck
- A whole duck is about 158 to 168 yuan, half about 78. A whole duck at that price stands out among roast-duck restaurants, and it suits a family table or a group of friends.
Other things to order
- Milk-skin yoghurt
- The signature. The milk skin is thick enough to stand up, the texture is smooth, and the sweet-sour balance is right — it cuts the fat better than anything else on the table.
- Vinegar-braised wood ear and egg
- A halal Beijing side dish, sour and sweet, and it goes down well with rice.
- Kung pao prawns
- Large prawns, firm flesh, sweet with a little heat.
- Qianlong cabbage
- Every leaf coated in sesame paste, with crisp cabbage underneath and a sweet-sour edge.
- Salt-and-pepper duck frame
- The frame can be cooked again for 16 to 20 yuan extra, either salt-and-pepper or as soup. The salt-and-pepper version is the crisp, savoury one.
Which branch
- Niujie / national flagship
- The best reputation and the most consistent quality, with plenty of returning locals, though there can be a queue at mealtimes.
- Wangfujing / Qianmen Dashilan
- Convenient for visitors already in the area, with a decent room and better service.
- Other branches
- Quality varies. Check recent reviews at the specific branch before you go.
What to watch for
- Do not expect the top houses
- The duck is good value, but it will not astonish you the way Sijiminfu or Quanjude can. It is better understood as an everyday duck than a special-occasion one.
- Some dishes run salty
- Diners report the home-style dishes — vinegar-braised wood ear, the claypot with minced pork and noodles — come out salty. Ask for less salt when you order.
- Garlic mash
- Some branches stopped offering garlic mash after complaints. If you want it with the pancakes, confirm before you go.
- Order half
- With a small group, half a duck is enough, which leaves room for several of the home-style dishes.