Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Located at Taman Kheng Tian and several units away from Sushi Kyodai and Tomyummy Noodles House, Restoran D’ House (烧鸭轩餐饮连锁店) is a restaurant specializing in duck and chicken rice. The restaurant’s name is a play on the Chinese name of Elva Hsiao (萧亚轩), a Taiwanese celebrity singer.
The interior of the shop is nicely decorated. Quality marble-top tables are neatly arranged among detailed furnishing. The proprietor must have invested significantly in the renovation alone.
As the restaurant’s logo implies, the specialty of D’ House is roasted duck (烤鸭). Duck as can be ordered as individual portions, or whole bird to feed the entire family.
Other dishes on the menu are roasted chicken (烤鸡), char siew (叉烧) or barbecued pork, and various other side dishes.
Firstly, the Roasted Duck Mix Char Siew Rice (叉烧烤鸭饭, RM8.90) is a mix of roasted duck and char siew. The duck is fairly succulent in terms of flavor. I like the waxy duck skin, although it can use more crispiness. Still, we feel that the duck is an enjoyable treat.
The char siew is reasonably appetizing, but pales in comparison with the roasted duck. At least, the pork is juicy and not too dried out. This is often a problem when the meat is left cold for an extended duration.
We also tried the roasted chicken by ordering a plate of Roasted Chicken Mix Char Siew Rice (叉烧烤鸡饭, RM7.30). In this case, the chicken part served is the wing and drumette. In our opinion, the chicken probably tastes better if it is steamed. Unlike duck, the flavor of chicken does not hold long against roasting; it is better steamed to retain its natural sweetness.
Each individual meals is served with rice. For better enjoyment, I strongly recommend that oily rice to be used instead of white rice.
When enjoying roasted poultry, one must take advantage of the assortment of condiments to enhance the flavor. The sweet sauce is nice with virtually any meat, while garlic chili sauce is more suited for roasted chicken. The sweet sauce is essential to our meal as rice is served plain.
For side orders, we sampled a portion of Pig Trotters In Ginger and Sweetened Vinegar (猪脚姜醋, RM6.90). The bowl of trotters (pork feet) is prepared in a thick broth made from vinegar. While I give high marks to the broth for its appetizing and savory appeal, I feel that the trotters mostly consists of only bones and cartilages without much meat. Try balancing the dish with some lean pork chops.
As for drinks, we had the D’ House Longan (烧鸭轩龙眼, RM3.00) and Herbal Tea (夏枯草凉茶, RM2.00). Both drinks are prepared in-house. This is something I appreciate; certain restaurants take the lazy route by pouring drinks out of bottles.
In conjunction with Parents Day (双亲节), there is a 15% promotional discount off the total bill. As icing on the cake, customers enjoy an additional 5% discount for dining between 5:00pm and 10:00pm.
To conclude, I think D’ House is reasonably good with its roasted duck, but improvements are required to its roasted chicken and other side dishes. The price is slightly higher than similar businesses, but at least the restaurant is air-conditioned and has a cozy atmosphere to justify.
Address: 9-1-30, Jalan Tapah, Taman Kheng Tian, 11600 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-281-3568
Business hours: 11:00am-10:00pm
