But the best are the extra slabs of crackly skin generously placed on top of the pile. Tucked into a tantalizingly thin pancake, each bite is subtle and well composed. The wooden tray is arranged with plates of sliced cucumbers and leeks, sweet hoisin sauce and even cubes of sweetened pineapple. Jiang Nan displays its hanging ducks next to a rustic oven near the back of the restaurant, where each bird is roasted for about 40 minutes.Ī half-order ($46) comes directly from the kitchen, delicate half-moons of duck dotted with crinkles of gold leaf. Traditionally it is roasted in fruitwood fire ovens and often presented with sugar that you dip the skin into to enhance its sweet crackle. Peking duck, which came to prominence in northern Beijing, is actually said to hail from this region. The restaurant is named after the fertile Jiangnan region south of the Yangtze River that encompasses Shanghai and a host of other cities known for elegant food traditions. Jiang Nan's stripmall space features a lavish but serene dining room. Duck is the showpiece in a staggering menu of regional Chinese specialties at the first Long Island location of this rapidly expanding chain from downtown Flushing.

So it's astonishing to step through the doors and be greeted by a life-size peacock figurine, its white feathers cascading down an indoor tree, perched at the entrance of a stylish dining hall.Įvery table is buzzing with lunchgoers. A server stands in front of a wraparound booth with a cart of Peking duck, carving with a sharp knife and arranging the meaty pieces on a wooden tray.

From the outside, the new Jiang Nan looks like an unassuming Chinese restaurant tucked into a Syosset strip mall.

Nan jing chinese restaurant menu