I came late to duck.

As a suburban middle-class kid, I was about as likely to sit down to a duck dinner as drive an Aston Martin to school. During my adulthood, chicken did the heavy lifting, and I didn’t give duck much thought, other than not wanting to eat it.

Then about a decade ago, on a trip to Santa Fe, N.M., a waiter at a French restaurant convinced me to try the duck confit. Turns out I liked it — quite a bit. Even so, 10 years on, I rarely eat duck, and only in restaurants.

I’m traveling this week, so it’s another edition of Tampa Bay vs. the World: Crispy Duck at Pin Wok & Bowl in St. Pete takes on the Fresh Ginger Duck at Mana Ning’s Thai in Watkinsville, Georgia, just south of Athens. Different dishes, yes, but about as close as I could get.

THAI WOK & BOWL

Revelry — drunken or otherwise — was in effect as we walked north on Central Avenue toward Pin Wok & Bowl on Saturday. And it wasn’t yet 6:30. At one point, we strolled alongside an apparent bride-to-be, out on her bachelorette party, who couldn’t walk without the aid of two woman holding her elbows. Many happy returns.

The restaurant, located on the 400 block of Central, provided a calm respite. The interior was basic in a good way, with little in the way of kitschy Asian signifiers. We sat at a two-person booth. The Crispy Duck ($27) comes with a choice of chili, Panang curry or Thai basil sauces. We opted for the latter, and added Basil Vegetable Fried Rice ($15) plus an order of Egg Rolls ($6).

Appearance

The dish had strong table appeal, which was a bit of a surprise in an unassuming eatery like PW&B. The reds, greens and oranges of the veggies really popped next to the enticing slices of brown duck. Likewise, the fried rice had an elevated presentation.

Taste and Texture

For starters, expert crispiness — kind of important when it comes to crispy duck. The rugged skin gave way to sumptuous meat that was perfectly cooked (sans pink, thank you) — tender, moist and rife with savory flavor. We chose well with the basil sauce, an understated brown nectar.

The vegetables were deftly cooked, adding a salubrious flourish. An ample helping of onions joined the peppers, green beans, carrots and cabbage.

Bonnie and I were duly impressed with the crispy duck, as we were with the fried rice, which was a few levels above the usual.

MAMA NING’S THAI

I’ve eaten several times at Mama Ning’s, which is located on Watkinsville’s quaint Main Street, while visiting my son’s family in Athens.

The food has been consistently good — enough to make it our go-to Asian restaurant, be it takeout or eat-in.

Our party of five — including my 4-year-old granddaughter — arrived at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The late-afternoon sun shone harshly on our table. Install a set of blinds, maybe?

Along with my Fresh Ginger Duck ($21.95), Bonnie got Basil Stir Fry ($12.95).

While waiting for our meals, we quizzed granddaughter on her letters, which she dutifully wrote into my notebook (and I later used for reference).

Appearance

The presentation was more stew-like than PW&B’s, with the morsels of duck strewn among the veggies. Different, but no less enticing. I didn’t spot peppers. I did spot mushrooms.

Taste and Texture

Although not touted as crispy duck, this version still had the crunchy skin, which I welcomed. Combined with the meat, it offered sublime chewability and luscious flavor.

The vegetable pieces were smaller than the competition’s. The crinkle-cut carrots, in particular, made little impression. I missed the refreshing punch of the peppers.

The ginger provided a potent flavor, an overall sharpness, considerably different than the easygoing basil sauce. And even though, I ordered “no spice,” I detected some agreeable heat.

And the Winner of the Asian Duck Ruckus Is …

Pin Wok & Bowl.

A close decision.

This ruckus came down to the vegetables. We preferred the bigger, more vibrant ones in St. Pete. The sauces provided a marked contrast, and I can’t say that I preferred one over the other. In fact, they made eating Asian duck twice in a week a pleasure.

If you ever find yourself in Athens/Watkinsville craving Thai, head to Mama Ning’s.