I’ve been in Beijing for almost two months and had not yet eaten the famous Beijing kao ya (Peking roast duck, duh). Until tonight.

A few of my colleagues took Chris and me to a nearby branch of Bianyifang. Most people are more familiar with Quanjude, but Bianyifang goes back further in history — like 600 years worth of history. And, well, they make a really tasty duck.

Apparently, what’s special about Bianyifang is that they roast their ducks in a closed oven (not an open pit). Not that I know the difference between the two, but compared to roast ducks back in the States (severely misleading but still the only point of reference I have), Bianyifang’s duck kicks ass. Tender, subtle flavors and crispy-juicy-succulent skin: such culinary mastery barely registered as I gobbled the duck up.

I realized how little I actually knew about the Peking duck tradition. I knew the part where the cook brings out the duck and carves it up in front of you into thin little slices. But apparently it is served and eaten with these very thin steamed “pancakes,” with which you wrap up some duck meat, cucumbers and onions. There’s also hoisin sauce, rose and chrysanthemum petals and sugar for garnish. We went all out and got some buns (that can be used to create a sandwich), duck soup, duck kidneys, duck stomach and these duck rolls that were kind of like egg rolls. I ate half a duck brain. (The duck head is chopped in half, so the inner workings of a duck mind is exposed.)

Pictures are forthcoming.