After enjoying our walk around Pier-2 Art Center on a sunny and humid Friday morning, we headed to Duck Zhen (鴨肉珍) for an early lunch. Since this long-standing duck specialty restaurant is a Bib Gourmand awardee, I had high expectations for the food.

The restaurant offers only a few duck dishes, so we ordered duck rice, soup, and green vegetables, which turned out to be morning glory. Our total bill was NTD$205 (approximately ₱410).

Even though it was still early for lunch, there was already a line. The restaurant has two dining sections: one near the serving area, where dine-in and takeaway orders are prepared, and another on the opposite side. We stayed near the serving area, where we could see the food being prepared.

The duck rice was quite oily for my taste. It wasn’t just the duck that made it oily, but also the minced pork fat, which I initially mistook for minced potatoes. The flavor reminded me of adobo, with a light soy sauce taste and a hint of sweetness.

As for the green vegetables, they had a slight garlic taste but were still a bit bland for my palate. There were different sauces and chili condiments available, so you could adjust the flavor according to your preference.

The soup came with duck innards, including the heart, intestines, and liver. Some pieces were a bit tough to chew. The broth itself was light, with thin slices of ginger giving it a noticeable gingery flavor.

Overall, I found the dishes a little underwhelming when eaten as served. Perhaps the flavors appeal more to local tastes, or maybe the restaurant’s popularity raised my expectations too high. Either way, the experience was not quite what I had hoped for.

Still, if you’re a duck lover or curious about one of Kaohsiung’s well-known food spots, you might want to give Duck Zhen a try. Taste is subjective, after all, and what didn’t impress me might be something you’ll enjoy!

📍 Duck Zhen (鴨肉珍)
No. 258, Wufu 4th Road, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Near Yanchengpu MRT Station

Have you tried Duck Zhen? I’d love to know if you enjoyed their duck dishes!