Duckland will change your views on duck dishes — and how duck meat is supposed to taste — forever.
The duck-centric restaurant officially opened on 18th January at Novena’s United Square shopping mall, as part of Tung Lok Group’s latest concept. Duckland only imports the specially bred and raised Irish Duck, a unique and cultivated hybrid of the Peking Duck, and Aylesbury Duck from the famous Silver Hill Farm in Ireland. From young, the duck is put on a unique, wholesome diet of wheat, maize and soya that enhances the flavour of the meat. The water that it drinks is direct from the farm’s spring well. The result? Tender flesh and juicy skin that stands out from most duck dishes I have had.
Instead of the typical Chinese-style duck restaurant that I had in mind, Duckland also offers fusion cuisine with a creative mix of Chinese and Western/Irish dishes. Even the drinks and dessert menu are full of surprises. Perhaps an introduction to Duckland’s signature main courses, with accompanying mouth- watering images, will give you a better idea of the sheer variety this restaurant has in store.
The classic Chinese Roast Duck dish is served with a twist. The duck meat is well-flavoured with a rich and astringent profile — but instead of just the duck soy sauce, there are three other sauces offered to complement; namely tomato, chilli and mustard.
The classic Chinese Roast Duck is great, but what really impressed me were the innovative western dishes. The Duck Confit & Waffle is an unlikely combination, with a juicy roast duck leg paired up with pure maple syrup and an egg that oozes when you cut into it. I had my initial reservations thinking that it might look better than it would taste, but was proven wrong. The maple-glazed duck leg tasted close to honey roasted meat — but better — with the rich taste profile of duck.
Another dish that should be on your radar is Bacon, Cabbage & Colcannon. It is a signature Irish and Scottish dish of boiled cabbage, paired with mashed potatoes and bacon. The creamy mashed potatoes — mixed with the well-seasoned bacon — are easily the highlight.
The Duck Pie may be a side dish but it is worth a shoutout too. Unlike the other signature dishes, this has a more plain appearance, but don’t let that fool you. Eating it can prove addictive — succulent duck meat coated in delectable sauce that gets better bite after bite. It comes in two flavours: tomato-pineapple and black pepper.
The drink menu is also pretty interesting, including a list of lemonade-based concoctions such as the Lavender, and Ultraviolet Berries Lemonades. The namesake of the latter drink is due to its ability to transition from dark blue to purple as lemon juice is poured in.
Last on this list is an exceptionally sweet highlight — of the dessert menu no less — the Whiskey Cake. Sweet but not overwhelmingly so, the treat is paired with whipped cream, and a serving of whiskey. An absolute delight that is not too heavy, and can still be enjoyed after the main course.
Duckland
Venue: B1-09&64/65 United Square Shopping Mall, Singapore 307591
Opening Hours: 11am-10pm
For more information and reservations, visit https://www.facebook.com/ducklandsg/
Photos by Soloman Soh of the DANAMIC team.
