Duck, the darling of Asian fusion

The more Asian fusion cuisine you eat, the more you notice duck on virtually every menu -- especially as an appetizer. Richer in flavor than chicken, it's a meat that works well in many treatments.

Here are three Asian-fusion restaurants where the duck really takes flight:

FANCY LEE ASIAN BISTRO 'N' SUSHI, Babylon

Making its home in a former diner, this classy Asian spot serves an appetizer called the ganga-style duck roll. The South Asian pancake known as a roti is wrapped around roasted duck, the whole drizzled with hoisin and spicy rémoulade in a presentation both attractive and delectable.

SUSHI KO, Merrick

From the kitchen of this mostly Japanese restaurant comes a first-rate fusion appetizer of crisp roasted boneless duck with a lime-hoisin sauce.

ASIAN MOON, Massapequa Park

At these fusion spots, the duck pot stickers have great depth of flavor. You also can stuff your own duck fajitas in an entree that amounts to a Latin fusion riff on Peking duck.