Opened in June 2016 as Tang Hui, The Plum Duck occupies the venue that was once China Republic in World Square Shopping Centre in the heart of Sydney.
The Plump Duck World Square Sydney
The Plump Duck launched on 22 November 2016 with a re-branding and a contemporary new menu. The new name was chosen to reflect the restaurant’s signature dish, the Peking duck, a dish steeped in tradition.
“Outside Area”
The venue was originally bought by AXF as Tang Hui and has since brought in chef Shu Chen Lee (formerly of The Eight) along with Peking duck expert chef Linyi Yuan. Both chefs were given free reign to create a produce-driven menu drawing on unusual ingredients sourced from Australia and the world.
Upstairs
The lavish interior by interior architect Paul Papadopoulos of DS17 (Alpha Restaurant, Beta Bar ) spreads over two levels with decadent and stylish private rooms.
The new menu items bring together traditional Chinese methods and modern ingredients into approachable and well-executed dishes designed to bring you back for more.
At the launch event, the food was expertly paired with Pinot by Franz Schuerer and Sommelier Charles Leong. The paring are well worth the mention here particularly in light of The Plump Duck is looking at holding pinot and duck matching events in 2017 under the guidance of Franz Scheurer.
Peking Duck Carving
For their Peking duck, the Plump Duck source their ducks from Pepe’s which supply a particular breed of bird. Once in the kitchen, the duck is cleaned with warm water and blown with air which alters the skin structure into two layers much like a honeycomb. The duck is then quickly dipped in boiling water for few seconds to seal the air into the skin then hung in a room with an industrial fan, dehumidifier and air conditioner to keep the temperature below 16 degrees. The next step is to hang the raw duck in the freezer for at least 50 days. Before roasting, the duck is defrosted 12 hours in advance and cooked in a specialised Peking duck oven for around 45 minutes at 250 degrees.
Peking Duck Serving
The Peking Duck ($98 / whole, $49 / portion) is accompanied by white sugar for dipping the skin in, sweet soy bean paste and Chinese mustard sauce recommended in 70% and 30% respectively, shallots, purple onion (sweeter and more juicy than shallots), cucumber for texture and thin discs of pickled cucumber.
Each bird yields 108 cuts of meat, expertly sliced and the dish is served as one course. The duck is beautifully succulent, big on flavour with just the right amount of fat to add another dimension to the flavour. The Plump Duck are looking at positioning themselves as serving the best Peking duck and this is a dish that will woo and impress on all counts.
The duck was paired with pinot from the Fromm Vineyard 2014, Marlborough New Zealand.
Wok fried Live Mud Crab with Garlic Butter
It’s no all about duck. From the Live Seafood section comes the Wok Fried Live Snow Crab with Garlic Butter (market price) an exquisite dish that makes you throw away any inhibitions and pick up the pieces by hand, and savour the sweet, buttery flavour with a big dose of garlic. Not show in the photo above is the garlic and shallot butter sauce beneath the crustacean just begging to be scooped with a spoon.
Fried Rice with Mushrooms and Black Truffle
Fried Rice gets the Mushrooms and Black Truffle treatment ($42) and elevates a humble staple into an earthy dish. Just what you need as a follow up to the sweet, garlic crab.
The dishes were paired with Kooyong Beurrot 2015 from the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.
Mild & Fragrant Curry
Pan Asian influences abound in the Mild & Fragrant Curry ($48) with prawn cutlets, zucchini and French chestnuts. Big on flavour, the curry comes with sweet buns to mop up the fragrant liquid to the last drop.
The curry was paired with Bass Phillip Crown Prince 2013 from South Gippsland in Victoria.
Truffle Parfait
For dessert, the Truffle Parfait ($12) is truly a taste sensation. Delicately sweet with savoury and earthy notes from the truffle, this is one of the best desserts of the year. To seal the food and wine matching, the pairing with Domaine Faiveley 2012 Mercury Clos du Roy in Burgundy France was simply out of this world. The wine not only enhanced but amplified the earthy and savoury notes of the truffle.
The Plump Duck is open daily for lunch from 12.00pm to 30pm and dinner from 5.30pm to midnight.
The Plump Duck
Shop 1041, World Square Shopping Centre
644 George Street (corner of Goulburn St & George St)，Sydney
Photo Credit: Non watermarked photos are supplied and used with permission. Watermarked photos © by Gourmantic – Copyright: All rights reserved.
