Wong

Ever have duck for dessert?  We hadn’t either until we had dinner at Wong in the West Village.  This funky, Asian Fusion restaurant takes original to a new level.  Where to begin?  There’s Shrimp Fritters with Ham and Watermelon, Scallops with Crispy Duck Tongue and Jelly Fish, and Seared Duck Breast with Brussel Sprouts and Asian Pear. Duck is the inspiration for a handful of dishes on the menu, but we never expected to find one in the dessert section.

Wong’s Roasted Duck Ice Cream may seem like an odd creation at first – savory duck meat and frozen milk and cream – but it’s actually an ingenious combination meant to evoke the idea of Peking Duck.  They’ve given the dish a lot of thought and every component works surprisingly well.  Ice cream is made with fat, so pastry chef Judy Chen brilliantly uses the fat from a roasted duck to make the ice cream.  Peking Duck’s signature five-spice shows up in the form of a shortbread cookie, the plum sauce flavor is captured by two juicy anise-poached plums, and the texture of the crispy skin is echoed by a sugar tuile that sits on top.  One spoonful and you’ll quickly be converted to this savory cum sweet way of ending a meal.  You may even leave wondering why more places aren’t using duck in their desserts.