Xinn Tien Di

Despite being in the fancy Gaysorn, Xinn Tien Di’s prices are far from what you think. The peking duck here comes in really affordable at B590 (with one dish made with the leftover meat). Not only is the duck heavenly delicious, it’s fun to eat. The skin is cooked to perfection. It’s what peking duck should be—no fat attached at all and super crispy, while the sauce is great and flavorful. The service here is fast and pleasant. And since you’re in Gaysorn, you get to rub shoulders with the hi-so families after some post-shopping feast.
3/F, Gaysorn, 999 Ploenchit Rd., 02-656-2114-5. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10pm

Chef Man

Chef Wai Yin Man boasts over his B2 million kiln made especially for peking duck (B1,200) and his Beijing-native cook who serves up the dish. Here, the Chinese cook easily carves the skin off piece by piece, as the duck is cooked to perfection till the skin is crispy and free of fat. Unlike at other places, the peking duck here is served with mangoes, peanut sauce and shredded garlic to liven up the flavor. The highlight, though, is the pancake which is thin, soft and incredibly chewy. But snap to it, as it gets sticky fast. The miang (stir-fried shredded duck meat with garlic served with cabbage) is another nice accompaniment—flavorful and well-cooked. Since Chef Man is hot on social networks, tables for lunchtime aren’t available till April, but take a punt on this Chinese New Year. You’ll need to reserve one day in advance, and do be punctual as the duck will be ready the very minute you booked the table.
3/F, Eastin Grand Sathorn, Sathorn Rd., 02-212-3741. BTS Surasak. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm; 6-10pm

Shangarila

A big favorite among the Thai-Chinese families, Shangarila has been around for more than 40 years and it must be the food (the décor is not much to look at) that keeps each branch of the place busy. Here, you’ll see almost every table ordering the peking duck. The amber skin is cooked to perfection, glossy and all the fat rendered. And as you’d expect, the atmosphere is typically Chinese, with lots of red, lots of round tables, and lots of loud families and kids.
306 Yaowarat Rd., 02-224-5933. www.shangarilagroup.com. Open daily 10:15am-10:15pm

Scala

For more than 40 years, Scala has been sitting under the Scala Theatre, but look beyond the weird location and you’ll soon realize why this place is most popular for its peking duck (B1,200 with two side dishes). Here, too, the manager waxes lyrical over their kiln, which gives the peking duck that perfectly crispy skin. The sauce is also very tasty, not surprising given that it takes the cooks from early morning to have it ready for the evening—making the stock before adding in the black soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar and some other top-secret ingredients.
184 Siam Square Soi 1, Rama 1 Rd., 02-251-2863. Open daily 11am-2:30pm; 5-10pm

Great Shanghai

If you like your peking duck really crisp, with that nice, cracking sound as you bite into it, this is the spot for you. Not only is the emphasis here on having the crispiest duck (B1,500), but their sauce—whose exact recipe is a closely guarded secret—is favored by many. One of the ingredients that distinguishes their sauce from others is the tao cheow (soy bean paste). The place has been around for more than 40 years and the uncle who owns the place, and hardly speaks any Thai, brought over all the recipes from Hong Kong.
648 Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-258-7042. BTS Phrom Phong. Open daily 6-10pm