The Best Little Duck Place in London!

Bobby de Ocampo is a man of many talents. Former Finance Secretary, a laudable accomplishment that can only be adequately captured by successive and excessive capitalization. Debonaire gentleman singer, who manages to shine despite his wardrobe's lack thereof. And most importantly, at least during the time we spent in London, Guide to Gastronomic Delights of the Epicurean Persuasion Extraordinaire!

London's Chinatown is famous for its Oriental cuisine. In fact, many of my friends who claim Chinese ancestry do not hesitate in recommending one restaurant or the other along Shaftesbury or Gerrard streets due to the exceptional quality of the food served. Alas, most of these places are really restaurants that are better experienced with the tender loving wallets of one's parents.

As Mr. de Ocampo had spent some time during his "ill-spent youth" in London as an otherwise gifted, yet itinerant scholar, I wasted no time accepting his invitation to have lunch at his old hangout in Chinatown. I was not disappointed.



The duck was moist and tender, and there were generous amounts of it poured on steaming white rice. Some of the tourists who ate lunch there at the same time as we gleefully attacked the cholesterol laden feast before us asked for sauce, but we didn't even bother. I consider myself something of a roast duck connoisseur, having sampled duck at some of the finest eating places in Asia. Two years ago, I had the pleasure of dining with the Chairman of the Shimao Group in Hongkong. The duck served at this quaint little hole-in-the-wall in London compares favorably with some of the most expensive duck I've been freely extended invitations to sample.



And if my good friends Paulino and Mica are reading this entry, do yourself a favor and hop on the Tube after work today. You won't regret it.