Mao

Rating: Excellent
Meal:  Dinner for 2 (but could have been 3 or 4)
Price:  8,000 yen
Payment:  Cash only (I think)
Dishes: Roast Peking Duck (requires 3 days notice, subject to seasonal availability)
English Menu: Yes

Smoking: No

A co-worker of mine lives in Zushi and had previously recommended Mao's to us.  We had eaten there before I started this blog, quite a long time ago, and hadn't been back since.  We recall liking it quite a bit.  My friend told me a while ago that they do a special Peking duck during this season and that we should try it.  Initially, we were going to get our families together for the occasion, but as the time approached it ended up just being the two of us.

Their ducks are from China, and it takes about 3 days to prepare them (lots of drying involved apparently).  Mao is run by a couple (he's Japanese, she's Chinese), and they specialize in Szechuan cuisine.  I can't recall the details of the "normal" meal I had there a long time ago, but I do remember appreciating the flavors.  Since then, they now have an English menu (that I helped with on some minor corrections and recommendations when my friend brought it in to work for proofing) which is easy to read and understand.

The duck was presented in all it's glory for a picture first, then they took it to the kitchen to cut it up into smaller, more chopstick friendly bits.  We were given 5 or so small bowls with miscellaneous vegetables, and plates of what appeared to be a form of tortilla shell, but tastes different.  Apparently the way to eat Pecking duck is to make little soft shell tacos and but your toppings in the shell.  We did order some additional vegetables, but wisely the cook held off on making it til we were stuffed.

We did our best but there was no way we could finish the meal.  Thankfully they packed up the leftovers (I brought the head and neck to my son's delight) and gave us doggie bags.

This was definitely a special meal and not one I would eat often, but it was very, very good.  I am very much looking forward to returning some day and sampling  more of their dishes.