BBQ Kong Meng (Duck Rice) @ Taman Maju Jaya

I was first introduced to this place by an ex-colleague of mine about 8 years ago and I've been frequenting this place ever since as it's just a stone's throw away from where I live.  But if you're not from the area, the place is a bit isolated as it's not visible from the main road.

But I haven't been here for a while now and (so) decided to revisit Restoran BBQ Kong Meng @ Taman Maju Jaya recently.  The restaurant is just a small old shop but, at least, it's air-conditioned with a few tables outside.

Although this restaurant is a barbecued meat place and serves "siew yoke" (roast pork) and "char siew" (barbecued pork), they're most famous for their "siew ngap" (roast duck).  Just look at that beautiful display of roast ducks!

Of course, a must-order here is the duck.  This is the Quarter Duck @ RM18 which can feed 2 - 3 people but some can even wallop this on their own! ;D  And that sauce that you find at the bottom of the plate...it's liquid gold, very flavourful.  Spoon it over your rice, don't waste a drop!

What I love most about this roast duck is the super crispy skin...and that's because they bathe it in hot oil just before serving (if you're seated inside the restaurant, you'll notice the ducks passing you by to the back of the kitchen for this very purpose).

And because of this extra step they're willing to take, the duck comes out with a beautifully crisp skin every time.

Here's a close-up shot of the crispy skin I removed from the piece of duck above....yumsss!

Other than the skin, I really, really like the taste of the tender meat.  I've eaten many ducks where the inside is rubbed with too much five spice powder (with a combination of some other herbal spices) rendering the meat salty and with an overpowering taste of spice.  This was not one of those :)

The third reason why BBQ Kong Meng's duck is a standout for me is because there's very little fat between the meat and skin, especially the breast meat.  I hate those with a lot of fat trapped between the meat and the skin (and I've eaten my fair share of those before).  And if there should be a wee bit more fat, it'd be in the drumstick portion.

You know me, I'm not a "breast" person and I never ever order chicken breast when I have chicken rice but with duck, it's a whole different ball game.  Somehow, with duck breast (which is also easier to eat), it doesn't come off as dry + the ones here are very tender.  So, I love, love, love breast when it comes to duck! ;D  [#Tip: If you were to pack an individual packet of duck rice and asked for the breast, it'll cost you more!]

The price for their roast ducks has increased steadily over the years and the prices are stated (on the menu on the wall) in Chinese...and since I don't know Chinese, all I remembered were the numbers I saw...31, 45 and 60.  So, my guess would be....half a duck costs RM31, three quarters is priced @ RM45 and a whole duck will set you back RM60...certainly not one of the cheapest around!

I find the dipping sauce to be on the salty side, so I would usually not have any with my duck.  But the fresh chilli dip...I want!  The fresh and tangy chilli dip goes very well with the duck.  [#Note: However, sometimes I do detect a hint of bitterness in the chilli sauce and that's because they've added lime skins into the mix.  Lime zest is great coz it brings an intense citrus flavour but if you're not careful and you cut too deep into the lime skin, you get the white pith which tastes bitter.]  You also get a bowl of complimentary soup and the rice is just plain white rice (not complimentary though).

As usual, we would always order a plate of greens to accompany our duck and I like the simple Stir Fry "Yau Mak" with "Fu Yue" @ RM8.  The "yau mak" (romaine or cos lettuce) that is stir fried with "fu yue" (fermented bean curd) and bird's eye chillies is crunchy (with a hint of heat) and delicious.  They also do a respectable stir-fry mushroom dish that I often order as well.

My Personal Opinion

BBQ Kong Meng is definitely a roast duck specialist and ranks among some of the best roast duck restaurants in KL...a must-try if you love roast ducks ;-)

It's my favourite roast duck simply for 3 reasons.....1) crispy skin, 2) tender meat and 3) not too fatty.

I've eaten their other roasted meat like siew yoke and char siew but they're no where near good, so I would give that a miss and just stick with the duck!

Restoran BBQ Kong Meng
No 11 Lorong Bunga Melati 2A
Taman Maju Jaya
56100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-9282 4818