Juicy meals that satisfy taste buds in every way

Roast Duck Hong Kong Style ($13.95 half; $27 whole) File photos

If you’re craving delectable, affordable Chinese cuisine but don’t want to navigate the tangled crowds of Chinatown, head for Asian Mix. Located under the Safeway at the corner of Beretania and Piikoi Streets, this little restaurant offers a splendid assortment of Chinese and local-style Asian dishes.

Hankering for duck? Call Asian Mix in advance to reserve Roast Duck Hong Kong Style ($13.95 half; $27 whole), because they’re tremendously popular, and require 24 hours to prepare. “First we have to pick good sized ducks,” explains owner Daniel Leung. “We don’t go smaller than 5 pounds. The duck is seasoned, sauced, and then sewn up with a needle so the sauce stays inside.”

House Pan-Fried Noodle ($11.50)

Then, each bird is marinated, dried, and seasoned in a complicated, exacting process, resulting in roast duck that’s marinated from the inside out, with most of the excess fat cooked off, and all the extraordinary flavor locked in.

One of the little eatery’s most popular dishes, Orange Chicken ($10.50) is satisfying in every way. It’s prepared with dark meat only, which owner Daniel Leung says makes for chicken that’s tenderer when it is deep-fried. The morsels are covered with fragrant housemade orange sauce and garnished with green onions.

Orange Chicken ($10.50)

Pork Chop with Salt & Pepper ($10.50), a piquant dish of crispy pieces of pork, flavored with garlic, green onion, garlic, chili peppers, and salt and pepper, will easily feed two when accompanied by rice.

A meal fit for an emperor, an empress, or both, the House Pan-Fried Noodle ($11.50) is aromatic and packed with flavor. Boasting black mushrooms, baby bok choy, broccoli, choy sum, chicken, shrimp, and scallops over skinny Hong Kong noodles, it’s perfect for sharing with a friend.

Remember, Asian Mix has a long menu of affordable catering party trays, and they can provide a spectacular spread for your next event!