In my recent post on Sushi & Bowl I mused on the opportunity to try out new venues that is afforded by York Restaurant Week, a theme that continued in the week for me with a trip to an intriguing spot called Duck Shack which has sprung up on the edge of St Sampson’s Square. This site was previously a nondescript cafe with a “world food” theme but has now shifted to the Duck Shack York identity and quietly opened its doors to the public. The menu comprises a selection of “Hong Kong Style BBQ Charcoal Roasted Meat” and is decidedly carnivorous in its bent. This is probably not somewhere to bring a vegan, but if that’s your preference you’re unlikely to be disappointed with what’s on offer.
The interior has the feeling of a canteen with ordering taking place at a counter and harsh lighting combining to remind you that this doesn’t even nod toward the niceties of more formal dining. The choice of mains is overwhelmingly of meat, rice and noodles in a variety of combinations, making it a relatively simple thing to navigate. The drink range is relatively limited and it’s worth noting that there’s no alcohol licence though they have a range of non-alcoholic beers and were happily sending people to a local shop should they want alcohol with their meal. We opted for a couple of bao buns to act as starters before mains of pork belly with rice and duck with noodles, and relaxed into the friendly atmosphere. The baos were disposed of as quickly as they arrived and were well put together with generous filling and soft buns, but the real star was to be the meats with our mains.
If an ingredient is in the name of a business you kind of expect them to nail it every time and I’m happy to confirm that the duck in this shack is certainly something to quack about. Cooked through and without the blush of pink I’d expect from most places, it was beautifully tender and had the fat rendered perfectly between the meat and the crispy skin. With a generous helping of noodles, a tang of sauce and a handful of pickled cabbage this all came to a generous and satisfying dish more than worthy of headlining the establishment. The pickling on the cabbage was a well developed accent to the deep duck flavour too. The pork belly was equally well handled, having been carved into uniformly bite sized morsels with rice and broccoli on the side.
This is hearty and flavoursome food lovingly prepared with a complete absence of tweezering or microherbs, just good old fashioned delicious plates in a simple environment at a sensible price. I love that places like this can thrive in York, adding breadth and interest to the food scene. I might prefer to make this a casual lunch setting rather than for an indulgent dinner but I’ll certainly be back for more.
