Bringing contemporary Chinese cooking to Balham, The Red Duck offers fresh and distinctive dishes that have been made with carefully sourced ingredients.
In direct contrast to a lot of takeaway-style restaurants, The Red Duck has paid particular attention to creating relationships with top-end supplies. This fascination with the very best produce ensures dishes are fresh and vibrant with distinct flavour profiles. Beef, for instance, is sourced from premium butcher HG Walter, while the duck comes from family-owned Silver Hill farm in Northern Ireland.
The menu is familiar enough to be comforting while also presenting a couple of twists on classics, or interesting new combinations, to keep things interesting. Start with crispy duck rolls or panko prawn balls with house pickles before moving onto mains. Here there are a few different sections – rice and noodles, salads, meat and seafood, and veggies – which help you create a varied meal. We think this kind of food is best suited to sharing, which makes The Red Duck the ideal place to congregate with friends or family.
On the main menu you’ll find old favourites like char siu pork and crispy aromatic duck alongside jasmine tea smoked ribs and a 35 day aged ribeye with ginger and spring onions. Vegetarians are well catered for too, with mock chicken, paneer, tofu and vegetable options all available.
Interiors are stripped back and simple with a contemporary edge. There are all the tell tale signs of a trendy new restaurant – banquette seating, neon lights, painted brick walls and simple table settings. There’s also a small roadside terrace for outdoor dining if you prefer.
The drinks list has been given some careful consideration too. Here you’ll find a handful of craft beers and ciders as well as a honed wine list. Soft drinks span Square Root softs – like a non-alcoholic Negroni Spritz - water kefir and a high-end pick of teas.