Dayali

Founded in Beijing in 1997, Dayali is a corporate hospitality juggernaut with more than 70 branches across China and Canada. The Camberwell Road location is its first Australian outpost. Translating literally to “Big Duck Pear”, the brand is famous in its homeland for its pan-regional approach to Chinese cuisine. Rather than specialising in a single province’s food, the menu is an aggregation of regional greatest hits.

Dayali’s business model is based on a membership system that operates much like Costco’s. Diners pay an upfront $50 annual fee to unlock a 10 to 20 per cent discount on every dish. For diners chasing that cost-performance value, the dining experience and presentation definitely punch above the price tag.

The undisputed anchor of the menu is the traditional Beijing roast duck, prepared using the gualu method where the bird hangs over an open flame. This ensures heat circulates evenly, rendering the fat and achieving that glass-like skin. It is then sliced to order and served with cucumber, spring onion, pancakes and rose sugar.

Beyond the signature bird, other recommended dishes include crisp dried shredded potato, which appears to stand upright on the plate; made-to-order steamed glutinous rice with pork ribs; and a bubbling fish head stew with a youtiao (crispy Chinese breadstick) the size of a sourdough loaf resting beside it. To finish, diners are steered toward house-made pastries shaped like miniature golden pears – a playful nod to the brand’s name.

Good to know: Dinner reservations are often booked out a month in advance, and chances of a walk-in table are exceptionally slim.

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