The original Duck & Waffle, which is at the top of a skyscraper, is famous for flashy views and flashy prices. With this more casual offshoot, they’re keeping the duck-centric menu but bringing things down to earth. At the bottom of a considerably shorter building on Haymarket, the menu is broadly half the price, and the most glamorous thing you can see through the window is the entrance to Tiger Tiger. On the inside, it’s almost like a big, shiny, red spaceship (which I loved).
The cheap(er) food would be a cause for celebration if much of it wasn’t so awful. Two dishes got the thumbs up: bacon-wrapped dates and a duck burger that came topped with crispy noodles. On the negative side, seared into my memory were a rubbery pork bao and a completely bland Vietnamese noodle salad. Worst of all, though, was the service: the entire order arrived at once (there wasn’t even room for it all on the table) and then the pudding, ordered later, didn’t arrive at all. Only go if you’re feeling patient. And stick to the burger.