Is this Fulton Market? I walked down the alley, through a side door to find the Duck Duck Goat Host stand. Yes, yes it is. Once the host confirmed our reservation, we were quickly seated in one of the many rooms of the former warehouse.
Duck Duck Goat, the newest restaurant from Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard, is the latest stop on our tour of the urban wildlife. While a loud and energetic atmosphere permeates through all the rooms, there are distinct differences in room layout. My date and I (this was a date, right?) landed a two-top adjacent to the kitchen, where all the chaos emanates.
Aside from the visible kitchen, the design of our room was very Asian with hints of red and gold fixtures throughout. But not too Asian. The restaurant took a non-traditional approach to traditional decor. For instance, the room we were placed in was flanked with tall metal ceiling-high shelves containing neatly stacked containers of noodles, bottles of soy sauce, and Chinese five spice. Branded dishware was proudly displayed on shelves visible from the dining room.
The Food
To start, we had some cocktails. I chose the Pimm's Cup (because I'm feeling classy, of course), and we shared the Shrimp Toast. The Shrimp Toast was wonderfully greasy, topped with a sweet chili sauce. You can't go wrong ordering this one!
Then we moved onto the Beef Short Rib Potstickers with mustard seeds. Compared to the shrimp toast, these were lighter and fresh. I felt a little better about myself after eating them.
Next, we tried the Slap Noodles topped with confit pork shoulder. These chewy noodles came out in a red bowl that made you want to pick it up and slurp away. I'm not the best with chopsticks, so this was a struggle for me. But I made it work.
Then, the main event – Duck Fried Rice. Served in a hot stone pot, this fried rice comes complete with preserved duck egg and crispy duck. The texture of the rice on the edges of the pot was amazing. Think Korean bibimbap, but better.
Finally, we had Chongqing Chicken and Goat Neck Pancakes. The chicken was spicy, crunchy, and addicting. Be careful, it's very easy to overindulge. The goat neck pancakes were good too, but we were pretty full at this point.
Final Thoughts
Duck Duck Goat may not have the same "wow factor" as Girl & The Goat, but it's still a great dining experience. It's hard to get reservations these days (I had to book two months in advance), but I heard they're opening a takeout counter soon. That might be your best bet if you're craving some high-end Chinese food without the wait.
Until next time, keep your ducks in a row!