Duck Hunting

At the weekend, I took myself off to Nanning, the capital of Guangxi. It’s about three hours down the road by bus. En route, we cross the Tropic of Cancer – yes it’s marked on the highway. The reason for my journey was twofold – to see my dearest friend whom I have been missing and, of course, to eat.

Nanning is food central. You are never more than three steps away from somewhere selling food of some sort.

I arrived in the mid-evening and after making our way downtown and booking into a hotel, we headed off to Nanning’s most famous food night market street, Zhongshan Road. In some sort of tactical error or masterstroke this was just across the road from the hotel.

It is a long street lined with fast food stalls – mainly but not exclusively barbecue joints. Barbecued pretty much everything. But I know what I’m looking for. Seafood! So we choose a place (at random), select some scallops, "bag clams", oysters and mussels. These are covered in garlic and barbecued at the back of the shop, to be served with beer. The scallops melt in your mouth leaving behind a garlic sweetness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liuzhou’s ex-mayor, the “Hammer” who destroyed Liuzhou’s street culture and has never been forgiven is now mayor of Nanning. He hasn’t managed to destroy the culture there. It is too strong. Zhongshan Road is well organised with trash cans every few metres and regular armies of cleaners sweeping the streets – all night. Stall holders and staff wear official ID badges.

 

This is unlike the Liuzhou street market which used to be in the street running from McDonalds to the riverside. It was great, but when they closed it they found that there was more grease on the street than from the Amoco Cadiz oil disaster. I walked along a deserted Zhongshan the next morning and found it totally clean. You would never guess it was a night market if you didn’t know.

Next day, I realise that I have miscalculated and not brought enough clothes for my stay. I need to buy some basics. Right next to the hotel is a Wal-mart. Surprising as it may be, I have never been in a Walmart in my life. Off I go. It’s a supermarket!

To my surprise, I find that Wal-mart in Nanning have locked entrances and exits in order to control the path of visitors around their store. They are only on the second and third floors of the building. Third floor is clothing, electrical goods, etc. Second floor is food. The second floor entrance is locked. They force you to go to the third floor then make your way back down.

Then when you exit from the 2nd floor pay desks you find the exit is closed and you are required to leave through a rather dark and narrow stair well.

Disaster in the making.

I am also amused to see that they keep the “imported foods” next to the “pet food”. But less amused to see how expensive the place is, by local standards.

Next morning, we do a bit of touristing then it’s lunchtime. We find a small noodle place and eat ShengZha Rice Noodles. Let me tell you – there is nothing wrong with them! We accompany them with some very good youtiao. These are often too greasy, but these were perfect.

 

 

 

 

Then more touristing, then the highlight of the trip.

I mentioned before Zhuang Preserved Lemons and the dish which uses them – Zhuang Lemon Duck. I want some! So I ask my friend who calls an ex-middle school classmate whose grandfather happened to be the founder of Nanning's first preserved lemon duck restaurant.

Well, he didn't found a preserved lemon duck restaurant, but he did open a hole in the wall, two table restaurant. Later, his daughter, introduced lemon duck to the menu and the place really took off. Today, they have seven outlets throughout Nanning and they ain't hole in the wall. This is the one I ate at.

 

 

We were ushered into this elegantly decorated private room and were served tea as we waited for our guests.

 

 

 

Finally, we ordered and food for five people (including grandson) and were served:

 

Duck's Blood and Chinese Chive Soup

 

 

 

This was described on the menu as "A Little Red". It is mixed "wild" vegetables with preserved eggs. I'm told the "wild" vegetable is grown in greenhouses.

 

Shui Jiao. (Dumplings in Soup)

 

 

 "Old Mother's Fish" (Steamed Bass)

 

 Papaya and Red Clams

 

 And, of course, the star of the show - Preserved Lemon Duck.

  

Everything was excellent, but it's the duck I came for. It was sensational. They offered a choice of three different breeds of duck, but grandson recommended the cheapest - Pekin Duck - the same beast traditionally used for Peking Duck.

The dish is duck, infused with the scent and flavor of lemon, but a deep rich flavor. The lemon is so obvious but never overwhelmed the duckiness. Apart from the duck and preserved lemons, identifiable ingredients were ginger and whole garlic cloves.

So it was time to interrogate grandson (who admitted that he had eaten this dish almost every day of his 24 years and never tires of it.) How to make it?

He carefully explained the process. Take a duck. Stuff it with the ingredients.

"What ingredients?"

The ingredients for the duck.

Then roast the duck with the ingredients. There are many ingredients.

Cook the preserved lemons separately with the ingredients for preserved lemons.

Chop the duck into small pieces and add the lemon at the last minute.

Serve.

“Ingredients?”

Yes, many ingredients.

I was clearly getting nowhere!

He did later point out that it is difficult for them to expand much more as there is a shortage of "ingredients" and that it takes an absolute minimum of three months or years to make the preserved lemons.

I understand their reluctance to give away their "secret" to passing foreigners (or anyone else.) They are not the only lemon duck restaurant in Nanning, but they were the originals and are regarded still as the best. I will be back.

P.S. When we asked for the bill, we were told it had been "lost". Grandson had cancelled it!

From memory the duck was ¥20 per jin (500 grammes) (about $3 US, £1.60, €2). Other dishes were. around the ¥18-25 mark. Very, very reasonable.

 

The restaurant is:

 

 

which more or less translates as "Gan Family Lemon Duck Shop" Beware of imitators! If you are in Nanning, go on down. Here are the addresses (in Chinese) of six of the shops. The newest isn't on their ads yet.