Duck from Peking arrives in Acton

The special Peking duck, which always used to require 24 hours' advance notice, is now so popular that the restaurant cooks a few ducks every day regardless.

So you don't always have to pre-order.

But then you do, because it is so popular that they cannot guarantee that you'll get one unless you order it.

The North China has a 24-carat local reputation; it is the kind of place people refer to as 'being as good as Chinatown', which in this case is spot-on, and the star turn on the menu doesn't disappoint.

Unlike most other - upstart, deep-fried - crispy ducks, the Peking duck here comes as three separate courses.

First there is the skin and breast meat, served with pancakes, shreds of cucumber and spring onion, and hoisin sauce.

Then a fresh stir-fry of the duck meat with bean sprouts, and finally the meal ends with a giant tureen of rich duck soup with lumps of the carcass to pick at.

It is awesome.

So what goes well with duck? At the North China familiar dishes are well cooked and well presented.

You might start with barbecued pork spare ribs, or the lettuce wraps, made with prawn and chicken.

For a supplementary main course, prawns in chilli sauce, although not very chilli, is teamed with fresh water chestnuts and tastes very good.

Singapore fried noodles is powered by curry powder rather than fresh chilli, but fills a gap.

North China
Uxbridge Road, London, W3 9QU