Sunday Special: Second Panda Express location combines favorites

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Anne Cusack

Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times/MCT

Tessa Chambers, Copy Editor

Panda Express, a fast-food restaurant that describes its basis as “gourmet Chinese food,” has opened within walking distance of other new dining favorites such as Classic Rock Coffee and Potbelly Sandwich Shop. The restaurant offers familiar entrees to those who enjoy Chinese food, including orange chicken and broccoli beef, but with convenience – food comes quickly, and a drive-thru is available.

With the drive-thru option and “express” emphasis being the main unique characteristic of the restaurant, timeliness is important to maintain its appeal.  The name holds true for the 45th St. location, at the very least.  While, admittedly, Panda Express did not have any other cars in its drive-thru when ordering took place, someone responded to our presence immediately. Then at the window hot, fresh food came a little less than a minute after paying.

This is not without remembering that the food is of course the most important aspect of a restaurant.  In general, as mentioned previously, the food came hot and tasted fresh – not reheated, or as though it had been under a heat light the whole afternoon.

The chow mein, a side which can sometimes have a slimy texture when not served hot, was kept simple and conventional, but done well. The orange chicken, though, could be a shock for some looking for a certain flavor.  Panda Express’s version of the entree is less sweet than many other restaurants’ recipes, and offers more of the “zing” of the orange, rather than it being predominantly sweet. Whether or not this variation is better or worse is up to personal determination but for those looking for a traditional flavor, this orange chicken may not be ideal.

Moving on, the kung pao chicken – a stir-fry made up of chicken, red bell peppers, zucchini, and peanuts – held the flavors of each individual ingredient, despite the chicken being covered in a marinade which, in excess, could easily overwhelm the cooked vegetables. For those who prefer seasoning over sauce, the black pepper chicken is an entree option worth trying.  While the chicken still has a savory marinade, it comes second to the incorporation of black pepper throughout the mix of protein with celery, onion, and green bell pepper.  The amount of pepper does, however, put a small amount of bite in the dish, pushing it towards being mildly spicy, which some may not prefer.

The bottom line is that the Panda Express on 45th St. appears to be a quality Chinese food option, especially when in a rush.  With food being served fresh and quickly, any disliking of dishes will mostly bottom down to personal taste preferences.  All of this quality is without mention of the fact that one side and three entrees can all be purchased at $8.69 with tax.  Portioning is generous as the side and two entrees fill a typical sized to-go box, and the third entree is placed in an additional to-go contained.  Sizes like these are nothing to complain about, though, when the food quality is high, convenient to grab on the go, and still affordable.