With ducks on the wallpaper, menu and signage, it is only fitting that Peking Gourmet Inn specializes in duck. Indeed, the Peking duck is probably the best reason for going to the restaurant, which has been in operation since 1978.

Once a small room, the restaurant now includes three vast dining areas with large round tables and plenty of lazy susans, which make it a friendly destination for groups. The walls are lined with photos of famous patrons and it's not uncommon to spot Beltway celebrities feasting on the signature duck. Lines tend to form at night, so it's wise to make a reservation.

Inside the expansive restaurant, duck is clearly the most popular dish. Waiters wheel out carts and intricately carve the birds in front of each table, carefully removing fat. Served with crispy skin, green onions, plum sauce and thin pancakes, the duck is quite a treat and arguably one of the best versions of Peking Duck in the country. Unfortunately, it's one of the few truly delectable parts of the menu. Though the restaurant once excelled with dishes like its garden-grown garlic sprouts, the taste has not been able to keep up with the establishment's growing size and popularity. The once-pungent garlic sprouts now lack any flavor, while the bok choy and shitake mushrooms taste as if it's been marinated in sugar. The Szechuan Beef Proper arrives cooked until it is nearly too tough to eat. Standard dishes like Cashew Chicken and Kung Pao Shrimp lack the menu's promised punch. The same goes for many other dishes on the menu: many lack the deeply-flavored spice of popular Chinese dishes.

Highlights of the menu include the Szechuan Tofu, which tastes of fresh garlic and chili, and the crispy salted Jeo-Yan Shrimp. Do not be shy about trying the restaurant's seasonal specials, including Chinese leeks and special eggplant. Though the restaurant has lost a good deal of its authentic flavor, it can surprise diners with the occasional thoughtful preparation.

--Erin Hartigan (June, 2006)