In Malaysia, the newly-opened Itek Itik Restaurant has been drawing in a sizeable crowd with its thrilling variety of duck-based dishes, all made from a 30-year-old family recipe for Chinese roast duck.
While it’s easy to assume that the restaurant’s founder is crazy in-love with everything ‘duck’, it wasn’t always so.
“I actually didn’t enjoy eating duck because of its gamey taste. But, somehow, my mother, Chan Hung Tho, came up with a recipe that didn’t have this taste.
“Since then, it has become my favourite dish,” Mandy Tong, told FMT, adding that she now wanted to share the dishes made from her family’s 30-year-old recipe with the community at large.
While most associate duck with Chinese cuisine, Tong said it was her mission to change that perception. And considering that half her customers are Malays, she has pretty much succeeded.
Apart from the traditional Chinese roast duck, other signature dishes here are the curry roast duck and the curry duck with pandan bun. And why curry?
“We introduced these dishes because after all, Malaysians love their curry,” she shared, adding that it’s also a way to modernise duck-based cuisine.
The single mother of two boys also hopes to help other single mothers by providing job opportunities at her restaurant.
“We offer flexible work arrangements for those struggling to find a suitable job. This is our way of helping them to restore confidence and hope in their lives.”
Tasting notes
According to Tong, their signature roast duck is marinated with a blend of herbs and spices for at least 24 hours. And the results do not disappoint: the meat is juicy and flavourful while the skin is delightfully crispy.
The dish is served with homemade condiments – a thick, spicy chilli sauce and an herbal sauce made with red dates, anise star and cinnamon.
Another dish to try although unusual, is the curry roast duck. If the combination of curry and roast duck seems too rich, a squeeze of lime will do the trick to lighten the flavours considerably.
This sumptuous duck curry is cooked with chunks of cabbage, long beans, and tofu puffs, making it a complete meal on its own. But if you’re the kind who cannot resist some carbs, go ahead and enjoy this dish with either white rice, nasi lemak, or nasi minyak.
Another notable item on the menu is the ‘curry duck with pandan bun’. Tong revealed that this particular curry incorporates two different pastes to achieve a unique flavour while the pandan bun is made fresh daily.
Be prepared to get your hands dirty when enjoying this dish – tear a generous portion of the soft and fluffy bread, dunk into the curry, and enjoy with some tender duck meat for an exquisite experience!
For those who like a side of greens, try either the kai lan or lettuce with oyster sauce, both simple dishes done right here. Other side dishes include deep-fried calamari with thousand island sauce, and sizzling tofu with oyster sauce.
The restaurant also serves a variety of halal dim sum, as well as a variety of noodles with roast duck, curry duck or smoked chicken.
For desserts, try their carrot walnut cake and lemon meringue tart for a perfect finish to a hearty meal.
Learn more about Itek Itik Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram.
Itek Itik Restaurant
15 and 17
Jalan SS 22/19
Damansara Jaya
47400 Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Contact: 03-7731 7917
Business hours: 11am to 9.30pm (closed on Tuesday)