Bo zai fan with preserved duck ($6.95) seemed undercooked, despite the 25 minutes we waited. The rice at the bottom of the claypot wasn't crisp enough, and the (very bony) duck didn't give the rice much flavor. In contrast with A-Wah but in common with many restaurants that serve similar casseroles, the ideal soy sauce — a thick, sweet concoction mixed at the table into the rice and toppings — was absent.
The only condiments at hand were a thin soy sauce, another thin sauce meant for cheong fun, and a pasty mixture (second photo) that our server called "hot sauce." A creation of the Guangzhou-born chef, this condiment suggested preserved vegetables or even a mild belanchan rather than hot chilies. Though of no service to the bo zai fan, it added an interesting accent to our BBQ-meat trio of soy sauce chicken, roast pork, and crispy pork ($5.25). My dining buddy insists on a return visit, if only for this "sauce."
King's Kitchen
5223 Eighth Ave. (at 53rd St.), Sunset Park, Brooklyn
718-853-1288
