Da Dong Gone in a New York Minute

A lot of money was spent to open Da Dong in Manhattan two years ago

Da Dong Roast Duck was my favourite place for Peking duck in Beijing over 13 years ago. The location in Dong Si Shi Tiao was fascinating, as you had to pass some imperial granaries before entering the restaurant.

A few years ago my friends treated me to Da Dong kaoya, this time in a new location behind the Worker's Stadium and the gaudy decor with statues of white horses seemed over the top as well as the LED lights representing reeds in the pond were ridiculous.

Da Dong near Worker's Stadium... see the horse in the back?

Inside there was a massive screen showing videos of chef Dong Zhenxiang cooking in France and scenes of people raving about his food. The video and the sound from it overshadowed our dining experience. It was distracting and not very interesting.

Ahhh how the mighty have fallen.

In late November, Michelin launched its first Beijing guide and everyone expected Da Dong to get three stars -- but it was not to be. It only garnered one, at the Dong Si Shi Tiao location.

And now Da Dong in Manhattan has closed, filing for bankruptcy after two years and scathing reviews from New York critics.

There was much talk about the place when the restaurant group announced it would open in the Big Apple, in a space for 400 seats and situated near Bryant Park. The Chinese really like to make a big splash.

The famous roast duck didn't impress Michelin inspectors

But that ambition apparently didn't translate into delicious food, with food critics from the New York Times and New York magazine giving Da Dong zero stars! While New York Post and foodie website Eater tried to find some good things to say about the Chinese restaurant.

Was it really that bad? I will never know because I never got to try it.

Maybe the ducks were not Chinese? Maybe the wood-fired ovens weren't allowed, making it hard to create the same flavourful smell from the wood of cherry and plum trees? Or maybe the restaurant had too much hype, making critics all too eager to take it down to size?

Then over a year ago I went back to Da Dong (albeit on Jinbao Jie, another location) and honestly, the duck wasn't that great. It seemed more oily than I remembered it, and didn't seem so special anymore. The thin pancakes were not warm, and the other dishes we ordered were pedestrian, or even salty.

What will chef Dong Zhenxiang do next?

One wonders what Dong is doing now, licking his wounds from his massive failure in New York. Will he try again elsewhere or just continue to placate the domestic market?

In the meantime the New York restaurant is trying to sell off all of its equipment, crockery, furniture and fixtures. It's a sad flash in the pan for Da Dong, who now knows the meaning of "Go big, or go home".