Decoy

TLDR:
— Fantastic, consummate experience for the 3-​person prix-​fixe. Dish order was chronologically modern to start, traditional to finish.
— Highlights: fish chicharrónes, lychee BBQ duck, and the duck.
— Obscene amount of quality food.

I’ll be back!
I was very skeptical of having Chinese food in a untraditional Chinese restaurant. I was wrong. I wished I had more stomachs to finish all the food!
Only 5 out of 6 of us could make to the dinner that night. Decoy was pretty accommodating and let us do the 6 people tasting. In addition to 2 Peking ducks, you get to choose 4 small plates, 3 main dishes, 1 fried rice and 1 side dish. Turned out it was too much food for 5, but that was our own fault. XD
Small plates:
— oyster in yuzu ice with caviar was fresh and refreshing
— foie gras & strawberry tarts is essentially foie gras with strawberry sauce. It is presented as ducks! Very cute! But our foie gras wasn’t hot enough and the straw berry sauce was a bit too much and overpowering
— oxtail dumplings were good
— shrimp and snow pea leaf dumpling was good but not as good compared to other small plates
Then there came the Peking ducks! The skin was so crispy! I liked my Peking duck with the traditional sauce, not a fan of peanut butter or cranberry.
Main dishes:
— sea bass was pretty fresh
— today’s special aged steak was juicy and nicely seasoned and cooked
— lamb was very flavorful, but I was too full to have another piece…
Sides
— crab and scallop fried rice needs a bit more salt.
— snow pea leaves are one of my favorite vegetables.
Overall, the food and the service were all great. Very satisfying experience!
The only drawback is that they require deposit when making the reservation, and they claim that they would charge for no-​shows for each person. But they were kind enough to wave our no-​show fee. Therefore, make sure all your friends are committed before making the reservation!

Beware of this place if you have allergies! The wait staff are completely unaware of what’s actually in the food they are serving and what’s worse — they simply don’t care about the health needs of their customers.
I have a life threatening fish allergy — that they were made aware of in advance, and yet we were served dishes with fish not once, but twice. Not only that, our wait person had the nerve to say «we do this every day!» — with complete attitude — when I asked her to double check the ingredients in our food before taking a bite. As it turned out, I would have left in an ambulance if I had taken a bite of what we were told was «totally fine and safe.» We will never return, and are lucky that there were no serious mishaps with our meal.
Don’t waste your time here.

Went here tonight for a celebration dinner with family. I have life threatening allergies to fish and nuts and notified the staff ahead of time when making the reservation. Even offered to review the menu on the phone and was assured there was no need.
I am used to navigating restaurants carefully. When the wait person brought out the first dish, a dish of crispy fried fish skin, I assumed it was a one time error and let it go. But when I then inquired about the ingredients in the second dish of pickled foods and discovered they were made with fish sauce it was time to be alert. I was only trying to be sure that I was safe and not going to be leaving in an ambulance, the wait person responded with attitude and a tone that was offensive and posed a serious threat to my health. Her exact words were «we deal with this every day, you have nothing to worry about!»
Apparently they don’t deal with this carefully enough — because as it turns out, over the next ten minutes they required us to change nearly every dish we ordered. They even revealed that at least one VEGETARIAN dish had fish (bonito flakes) in it. We had to have a chat with the manager and literally read the labels on every product used in the preparation of our foods in order to feel completely satisfied that the staff serving the food knew what they were talking about.
We had to make substitutions to our menu to avoid the foods that we couldn’t have at the table and then saw they had the nerve to charge us extra for those items as added items on our bill. So sloppy, Decoy. And so rude.
The food is tasty. But attention to the customer really needs work. We will never return.

Huge delicious portions. But you have a limited time, if you are seated in an earlier seating. Be hungry!

The only truly authentic and amazing peking duck is in Beijing. With this in mind, Decoy does a pretty decent job of recreating the experience, added with a little fusion which I really enjoyed.
Their prix-​fixe menu is $ 65 pp. For 5 people, it includes 1 duck, 4 small plates, 3 large plates, 1 noodle/​rice dish, 1 vegetable dish. Amuse bouche was 6 vegetable sides (like banchan at korean restaurants), with deep-​fried fish skin similar to pork rinds. so.much.food.
We ordered: oxtail dumplings (fried and stuffed like an empanada), oysters (refreshing), bbq pork lettuce wraps (nice and smoky), shrimp stuffed peppers (fried, just average), pork toro (a little oily but dangerously addictive), black sea bass (steamed, clean eats), lamb (a little chewy), crab and scallop fried rice (underwhelming), sauteed snow pea leaves (cooked simply with garlic and oil). The duck itself seemed a bit small, enough for 2 wraps per person. They provide interesting sauces, but go for the traditional: wrap down + 2 pieces of duck + schmear of hoisin sauce + 2 slices of scallion and cucumber. Fold the bottom up ¹⁄₃^rd of the way, roll into a wrap, eat happily. The skin could’ve been crisper, but the duck itself was very tender and juicy.
I highly recommend going with a group of 4 – 6 people so that you can sample a lot of other dishes. It’s a great unique experience for a family-​style dinner, and a bit more upscale than typical Chinese food in Ctown.

LOVE.
It did take some planning to get a reservation in but it was worth it. Similar setting to Red Farm where a communal seating is featured with a bar to the side. The Peking duck is as close as you can get to the real deal from Beijing, because let’s be honest here, Peking duck in Beijing is an unforgettable experience. The fish skin chips sounded creepy but it was so flavorful and crispy, didn’t taste anything like fish. Must order the barbecue pork lettuce wrap and the shrimp stuffed shishito peppers. The «two shrimp» fried rice was good too but I could trade that in for more greens.
It’s a cozy little place with great service. The prix fix menu is on the pricier side but portions are generous and well worth it. Make sure to order that drink that comes in a pineapple mug because it’s fun.
Will have to go back to try more stuff.

We had a great time at Decoy, what a little gem! Stopped in for drinks, and ended up with some snacks at the bar as everything going by us smelled and looked amazing — and it was!
Attentive but cool service from the bartenders, and wonderful cocktails («But I’m a Pepper, Too» — spicy and citrusy goodness, and a special for the night called «Things That Taste Like Purple» — tasted more like green to me, but it was still tasty).
We shared the bar bites, a tower of 2 of each: oysters, shrimp dumplings, tempura lobster claws, chicken lollipops, and a small salad. Could have done without the salad, and the aioli for the lobster covered up the flavor, but everything else was unique and scrumptious, especially the shrimp dumplings. Also had the oxtail fried dumplings — totally awesome, and a bit of a kick to the sauce.
We will most definitely head back soon for a full meal.
P. S. Normally I wouldn’t comment on the bathroom, but they have a crazy toilet that… sprays. If you’re not used to it (like my husband) you might be in for a bit of a ride. Press buttons with caution.

so I just had dinner here earlier tonight… and I’m very impressed. from the host, bartenders (Anthony in particular) and wait staff, I couldn’t ask for sweeter service. ex: we finished dinner, so the staff cleared our plates. but because we are who we are; we ordered (another) round of the foie gras tarts as our dessert. don’t judge. so they kindly grabbed another two sets of tableware for us, even though we could just as easily use our hands.
I’m kind of amazed that I can’t find anything questionable about our dinner. everything was on point, even the rice.
stuffed shishito peppers: stuffed with shrimp, lightly battered and fried. texturally nice, and the green sauce adds a nice touch of acid and heat.
oxtail dumplings: fried and more reminiscent of small empanadas. delicious stewed flavorful oxtail (they’re not skimpy). the dipping sauce is a bit sweet and sour with a layer of heat.
foie gras tarts: very cute presentation. the foie with the fruit is a nice balance. cucumber and tart shell add the bite you need against the softer elements. and yes, we went for two rounds of these
grilled duck with lychee: how could we not order something with duck? tender, the right amount of gamey, smokey grilled flavor and the softened lychee makes for a great skewer.
diced lamb cubes: lamb was perfectly tender. hands down, fantastic execution. the cubes sit atop a crispy piece of naan-​bread. to my surprise, the naan didn’t sog up even though there was sauce on top of it, and we took some time getting to it. there’s some in there and some sweet/​sour pickled bulbs of something.
rice: it’s a bit expensive for rice, but it was not clumpy/​wet or undercooked. it was a good portion, not a tea cup size like most restaurants.
overall: I would come back here, but I’d love to try redfarm as well. thanks for recovering from my christmasy dessert request by trying to persuade me to order keylime pie.
btw…the toilet is awesome. heated seat is clutch for winter.

Amazing meal! Love where they are located in the West village. A group of friends we had their pre-​set menu. There was a ton of food and such high quality food. Of course the duck was like I had it in Beijing.
We had foie gras tart, octopus salad, oxtail dumplings, Peking duck, shrimp, fried rice, steak, asparagus. Can’t complain about any of it.

Boom! Duck! Yes!
I’ll never forget the first time I ever had Peking Duck in Beijing and I thought I’d found the one food I could eat forever. Decoy’s duck has now replicated that experience. The pre-​fixe menu for 3 is their best deal and provides the most flexible range of options/​access to the menu. The pastrami triangles were probably my favorite appetizer, although the Foi Gras & Strawberry Tart was also pretty delicious and served shaped like a duck.
Before the duck came out, we were served in a pseudo shot glass this palate cleanser, which I believe was the juice the duck is served in — this little soup concoction was definitely an underrated part of the meal.
We were seated at the end of the long communal table, but we happened to be on the end closest to the front door, which meant we were a little chilled every time it opened (only downside to an overall charming meal). ps. the toilet in the bathroom is a smart toilet, with a heated seat and everything!

THE PEKING DUCK: yes, it’s the best damn duck in the city.
It starts with a good quality duck, minimal fat. Skin is crispy. Maybe not overly crisp but very flavorful. Meat is juicy and never overcooked. Thin pancakes. My only complaint is the choice of 3 sauces (peanut, cranberry and the standard duck sauce) is a waste. They should just serve the duck sauce. Easily remedied by asking for an extra serving. Price is higher than Chinatown but you get a much higher quality duck. Go now!

Firstly, you should be aware that Decoy is not an authentic Chinese restaurant that you will find in Chinatown or Flushing and it is not trying to be. It is an incredible modern spin on Asian food with an American influence.
Phew, now that we got that out of the way, we can talk about why this restaurant is worth 5 stars…
Located below its sister restaurant, Red Farm, Decoy is pretty small with one large table running the full restaurant. This means that you’ll likely be sitting with another group, which is kind of fun!
Food: prix fixe Peking duck $ 65pp
**Starters**
— crispy fish skins with garlic sauce: not for the picky eaters, but basically a crispy chip in a wonderful sauce
— pickle plate: not everything is pickled! There was a delicious curry and more. Very well done
**Appetizers** (our choices)
— Pastrami Triangles: Katz deli’s pastrami in a flaky pastry triangle. Yum!
— Oysters: wow! This is the most unique oyster I have ever had. It has caviar and melon.
— Shrimp stuffed peppers: I expected small diced shrimp, but this a full shrimp and good flavor
— Oxtail Dumplings: full of flavor!
**Peking Duck** (I lived in Beijing and this duck is delicious. You will not be disappointed, I promise you that!
**Entrees** (our choices)
— Lobster Noodles: Chinese style lobster served in the shell and in a gravy sauce. It’s served over thick rice noodles known as Fun noodles. Could have used more sauce for the noodles.
— Steak: marinated in Asian flavors. This melts in your mouth — amazing.
— Sea Bass: very good (we were stuffed by this point…)
**Rice & Sides**
— Vegetable fried rice: made «crunchy» with jicama!
— Chinese Broccoli with Superior shiitake mushrooms: so full… still ate all the mushrooms
Yes, I’ll be back

This has been 6 months in planning and it call came together in a few days. The planets were aligned to get a foursome on the communal table.
A while ago I was looking for the best Peking Duck I could find without getting on a 16 hour flight to Hong Kong. I was sure that I could find something locally that has the touch of the old world style of duck. After reading some articles online I came across one that listed all the best places in NY for Peking Duck and Decoy came out on top… so I had to go.
Then I found out that to be guaranteed a duck you need a make a reservation which is hard to come by for parties of 4 unless someone cancels. 2 is a lot easier but then it’s too much food! With peoples schedules these days it’s not that easy to plan a gathering.
Anyway this worked like Jamaica taking the hill on the second day of the downhill bobsled when they were a hair quicker than the Swiss!
1 Duck, 4 apps, 2 mains, and a side or rice dish are on offer for a party of 4. $ 65 a head is well worth it. We got the Foie Gras, Wagyu beef, Oxtail dumplings, and shrimp and pea dumplings to start. They are a small enough tasting portion with a massive flavor profile. Normally I would take pictures of each item but I couldn’t resist waiting so we just dug in. Chenin Blanc went really well with the first few courses and then a Decoy Merlot with the duck!
I have to thank Caroline, who took great care of us and guided us through the menu choices. The rib steak and sea bass were our mains and oh were they good! The snow pea leaves was the side dish and a very important one to balance the meal with some greens. So thanks again Caroline for being so amazing!
I would go back tonight if I could…
This meal was so worth the wait and I’m glad we all got to do it. And it is the best Peking Duck in the city for sure.

The Quick: Extremely overpriced yet outrageously delicious ‘designer Chinese food’. Small portions that leave you hungry and wanting more of the exquisite flavors.
The Details: The crispy beef appetizer is what they’re famous for, and an absolute must try. We loved everything we had: Lamb and Chinese broccoli was so flavorful yet such a small portion of lamb for over $ 30. The duck with lychee was also incredible, and probably the largest portion of what we ordered. This is very cute venue with large shared tables and very rustic yet elegant light fixtures.
Note: Same review for RedFarm since they let you order from both menus and the atmosphere is almost identical.
The Damage: 3 appetizers, 1 entrée, 1 drink came to ~ $ 110 before tip. And we were still a bit hungry.
If it was cheaper or the portions were bigger I would have given 5 stars.

Brought my mom here during her NYC visit after a lot of friends recommended this place! It was actually pretty difficult to get a reservation, so we had to settle for a 9pm reservation on a Sunday night. The restaurant has one long wooden table (maybe for 16?), a full bar, and some 2-​seater nooks here and there.
Coincidentally, there were 5 of us, so it was perfect for the $ 65 prefixe meal that they offer. It comes with one peking duck (for 5 people), 4 appetizers, 3 main dishes, 1 fried rice, and 1 side. It’s actually a whole lot of food… we could barely finish!
The first thing we got was their decoy chips, which are deep fried fish skin pieces. These are INSANELY DELICIOUSLY. They basically taste like chicharrón, but so much better since in my opinion it tastes much lighter! I wish we had an endless supply of these… This was followed by a cute wooden plate with 6 mini cups of pickled items. I also loved these, my favorite one was their wasabi-​infused chinese broccoli. I liked how they all tasted so different, showcasing different textures and flavors.
Our appetizers:
Kumamoto Oysters, Yuzu Ice — AH SO DELICIOUS. These were so fresh, had some caviar on top, and came with a small piece of melon. MUST GET!!!
Oxtail Dumplings — these were pretty good too, very flavorful, and spicy.
Shrimp Stuffed Shishito Peppers — YUM, and I’m saying this as a person who doesn’t really like shrimp.
Wagyu Short Rib Skewers — I actually thought this one was the most lackluster out of the bunch, expected more from wagyu.
The peking duck came with 10 pancake wraps, 3 sauces (they include a cranberry sauce which is the only one that wasn’t as traditional), and a duck consommé shot (basically a really yummy flavorful hot duck broth). This was perfectly cooked with crispy duck skin, and tender duck meat. It came with julienne cucumbers and scallions as well. YUM.
Our entrees:
*overall feeling about the entrees was that it was all just okay, and overly seasoned/​salty. I probably would have been OK with the meal ending after the peking duck, hopefully they’ll offer a prefixe option like that in the future that includes appetizers + duck.
Pork ‘Toro’ with Korean Rice Cake — I thought this was just meh.
Black Sea Bass, Yellow Leek & Black Beans — best out of the bunch, very tender fish meat with lots of flavor :).
Lamb Tagine with Scallion Pancake — I think this came out last, and I really didn’t have the appetite to eat much more, but this was definitely way too salty! The scallion pancake (i think that’s what it was) was probably the best part, although it was a little too burnt in some areas.
Soft & Crunchy Vegetable Fried Rice was pretty great, you could tell the chef really knew how to make this — the crunch came from the vegetables (mainly the onions), pretty good texture contrast! The side we got was the chinese broccoli… again, too salty, especially with the mushrooms that it came with that sucked up all the salty juices =/​.
Overall, it was a great meal with plenty of food, but I took off one star for all the dishes that were too salty!

Make reservations in advance! Heard so much about this place before I finally went. Originally thought it was going to be super-​high end dim sum but really it is just exquisite Asian fusion, with very authentic flavors but western plating and concept. In stead of getting the prix fixe menu, we ordered a la cart.
Assorted pickles and cold veggie bites were much more upscale and therefore elevated versions of the free appetizers you would get at Korean restaurants. Nothing crazy but it opened up my appetite for sure. I really enjoyed the flash fried branzino skin chips which were not on the menu and came as a complimentary appetizer from the chef. These were really special. I’ve never ad these before in my life. So crispy and quite flavorful. Love this. Would definitely get it again if it were on the menu. Shrimp stuffed shishito peppers were a treat. Super juicy while still crispy and they did not skimp out at all on the shrimp! My favorite were the Kumamoto oysters in yuzu ice. You really can taste the cool, refreshing, and citrusy yuzu in here. It is one of my favorite ingredients so I’m biased but the oysters were super fresh and presentation was so beautiful. In fact the presentation for all the dishes were gorgeous. And of course, a fan favorite, I also had the fois gras and strawberry tarts. You can’t go wrong with fois gras so I’m not gonna say anymore. And look how cute they look!!! Crab and scallop fried rice seemed like nothing special when compared to the other dishes, but it was a really good fried rice. The portion was really large too so I took it to go and it tasted amazing the next day. They were really generous with the seafood bits in this rice as well. And of course, what everyone is here for, the peking duck with duck consommé shots, pancakes, and sauces. I know Chinese people will want to kill me when I say this, but I feel like this is way better than most Peking duck I’ve ever had in Beijing. So good. And the pancakes were so thin. I liked all 3 sauces it came with. I took these to do too and it made everything I cooked with the next day superb!
Definitely come check this place out. Super great staff, quaint place for an intimate meal, and lovely neighborhood for night exploring afterwards. Try as many appetizers as you can!

I’m guilty of not checking out more places in the West Village but this is a great find. I came to Decoy with a friend by happenstance because our reservation for Tartine (also in West Village) fell threw. As we walked the streets, we bumped into two individuals who just finished dinner at Decoy and recommend us try it and so we did.
Lowdown:
The prices are a little expensive and if you’re a man looking to fill your belly, you’re going to spend a minimum of $ 60 per person.
Recommendation:
— Pork Toro Entrée
— Assorted Mix Dishes — Comes with 5 2-​piece appetizers to share
— Oxtail Dumplings — Comes with 4-​pieces
— Strawberry Flan

Drop down the stairs (and insofar as I can tell, not ADA-​friendly) and into a shared long table with strangers at either side. Make reservations, it does get busy. A long bar to eat at, too, if you don’t mind that.
Amuse bouche was fried rainbow trout skin with a garlic miso sauce — excellent starter.
We also had the assorted pickled vegetables (a good mix of spicy and sour), the Katz’s pastrami triangles (good, but oddly out of place), oxtail dumplings (delicious though a bit heavy on the dough), and shrimp & snow pea leaf dumplings (ok, I’ve had better in Chinatown).
I’ve had better Peking Duck. There, I’ve said it to start. The hand-​made wraps were good, but the duck tasted flat, not full of flavor like the ones I’ve had elsewhere in the city. The best part was the duck shot, a reduced, hyper-​flavored shot of duck-​infused broth that came with the duck. Tasty and I’ve had almost nothing like it. That must be where all the flavor went, because otherwise I didn’t have nearly that sense of flavor from the duck. Three sauces — a cranberry (eh), standard hoisin sauce (tasted straight out of a can, tinny), and sesame sauce (hit and miss with the table).
Other items we shared — the teriyaki-​marinated ribeye — fantastic juicy flavor and perfect texture. Saved the review, really. Fried rice with scallops and shrimp was ok, but serving it was harder than I would think out of the little wooden container. Had to ask for a bigger spoon. And the fish special that night with asparagus was ok, but did not wow anyone.
Overall, good hits, a few misses. Will try other dishes here the next time.

Okay, my palate was blown away. Took my daughter for her birthday — 5 to our party. Wife and I already had a good lunch so not that hungry. But, boy, when the food came it was so good that I was ravenous.
We had the Dinner for 5 ($ 65pp) which included Homemade pickles, 4 small plates, 1 whole Peking Duck, 3 main dishes, 1 fried rice and a side dish. It’s a pretty good price for all this goodness. Some of the stuff we ordered had an upcharge, but certainly worth to taste.
Homemade pickles: Very good variety, hot, tart, spicy, good for cleansing your toungue in-​between
Small Plates:
— Oxtail Dumplings: it’s like eating Kare-​Kare in a wrapper, flavor really come through
— Octopus Salad with Salmon Roe: Went really nicely together a counterpoint to the other plates
— Foie Gras in Strawberry Tart: Killer! I could’ve eaten the whole tray, smooth, crunchy, heavenly
— Grilled Wagyu Beef: The Bomb! perfect little morsels of the tenderest beef medium-​rare. Best serving of beef I’ve had anywhere. I can make a meal out of that.
Peking Duck: Best I’ve had, including those from Asia. The skin is crisp-​crackling perfection, meat is tender and flavorful and the pancakes are wafer-​thin. Comes with 3 sauces.
At this point I was satisfied and would’ve been happy, but, onto the next set!
Main Dishes:
–Pork Toro — succulent slices of pork loin with shiitake mushrooms and and asparagus
–Sea Bass — moist, tender, in snow peas, bamboo shoot and carrots
–Lobster & Noodle — looks like a whole lobster in thick noodles: delicious
–Crab Scallop Rice: Classiest fried rice I’ve seen.
This is the only place I’ve been where they have all my favorite dishes in one seating:
Foie Gras
Wagyu Beef
Octopus/​Salmon Roe
Oxtail
Peking Duck
Lobster
Sea Bass
My new favorite place!
Oh, and the leftovers? They were still perfect 2 days later. Try that with regular Chinese takeout.