Panda Express is actually the fast-food version of it's parent restaurant, Panda Inn, which is an amazing Chinese restaurant chain with locations in Southern California. This is why it's called, "Express". 🙂
Chinese take-out style food is surprisingly easy to recreate at home. You need the correct, authentic ingredients and to have everything at hand when you begin cooking. The cooking is the EASY part.....the prep is EVERYTHING. It takes practice, but it pays off. Once you get started doing it at home, you'll be HOOKED on the challenge and the results. Over the last two years, I've mastered my Chinese take-out cooking......I made Kung Pao chicken yesterday literally with no thought about what I was doing and it turned out spectacular. 😃
Egg roll is just bigger and can have meat, spring rolls are smaller but don’t contain meat. Egg roll is a misnomer as technically it only has egg to seal the wrapper. I made so many of these things when I worked restaurants. It wasn’t fun. Spring rolls use rice paper wrappers and water as their binder. Most Chinese American food is actually based heavily on classic Cantonese dishes from the south of china and chengdu in Sichuan province where Shanghai is. Real Chinese food tends to be very stew heavy as winter is dreaded as food is scarce. During summer you eat the freshest nature can provide with vegetables and fish. Food is actually very different place to place as one dish can exist in one province but not in another. Guangzhou uses tomatoes while a city just 30 minutes north never saw tomatoes before and don’t know what it even is. But pork is a very dominant meat as it is a balanced meat in Chinese traditional medicine with yang and yang
You almost got it, They're called egg rolls because their wrapper is made from eggs, flour and water kinda like egg noodles. Also no clue on the "spring rolls don’t contain meat" statement. I've had spring rolls with every type of meat in them (shrimp is my go to) Their wrappers are made from either wheat flour and water or rice flour and water depending on the country.
@@robturney6325It seems spring rolls are offered as a vegetarian appetizer in many Chinese restaurants. In my experience, non-vegetarian versions were at Vietnamese restaurants. Most likely due to the area I am in perhaps.
The price depends on what state ur in? California ur looking at 45 average in New York 55 average. I live in Texas and I actually did this 4 times exact order it varied from location but average was 33, most expensive in my area was 41.
I would describe a spring roll as a lighter wrapper with brighter insides. The egg roll is heavier overall with a thicker wrap and more fully steamed (no crisp left) insides. The egg roll is like the "meat and potatoes" version of the spring roll.
I love Ollie's absolute off the wall goofiness. This is making me hungry. I tried a Chinese place last week, and it was the best thing I've eaten in forever. The most surprising thing? How good the fish was.
Kabir & I are the same...food, TALK ABOUT THE FOOD 😂😂😂 I know everyone else is explaining the questions you asked, so I won't repeat it all. Just glad I'm not the only one who wanted them to discuss and explain the food more.
Basically, the founders started with Panda Inn, a sit-down restaurant using authentic cooking styles yet still focusing on the specific dishes and course selection both American and Chinese nationals are likely to order and eat. There's probably less soup and stew composing your meal there than you'd get in some of China, but it's not like the country has a single unified cuisine to start with - and in fact the original intention was to focus on what Southern California didn't have represented in its Chinese restaurants. Panda Express is the result of the founders deciding how to turn the concept into a fast-food place: no soup (which can become a problem), heavy focus on stir-frying, and dishes picked to be fairly easy and quick to make with a high turnover. It's very much an American invention, but I've been told that it's still food Chinese nationals are happy to treat as fast-food: stuff to grab on the way home when you don't want to cook.
Panda Express is a Chinese Fast Food place. They're mostly in shopping mall Food Courts. Yeah, Chinese buffets here also have fries and pizza, etc. Apparently, the American style food is for kids while their parents eat Chinese. I've been to the local Panda Express a few times. It's not the greatest, but it's not bad for the price. The Black Pepper Steak is a personal favorite. A plate with a side dish and two entrees costs $11.70. My usual is Lo Mein, Orange Chicken and Black Pepper Angus Steak [the Angus is a Premium Entree so $1.50 extra] Total $13.20 + 8% Meal Tax. There are also "bundles" which include a beverage in the meal price. Well, an Egg-roll doesn't have eggs. No one seems to know where the "egg" came from. A pork egg roll will have pork and veggies, seasoned with ginger and garlic.
"They're mostly in shopping mall Food Courts" Maybe in the late '90s and early 2000's....they're all over in stand-alone stores like any other fast food place now.
@@Jace-xw3ly In New England, there are less than 10, and they're either in shopping malls or shopping plazas, except for the one at the Foxwoods Casino Food Court.
They ordered two of what Panda Express calls “a bigger plate” which is three dishes plus rice, chow mein or veggies. That’s usually about $13-14 They do have chopsticks if you want them
For quite a while, the Panda Express we had in town did not have the best reputation. The food was greasy, the premises were not very clean, etc. A few years back, though, someone cracked down on them and they got A Lot better. Now they have a better selection, the quality of food prep has improved, and I go there when I have a craving for Chinese but I don't have a lot of cash. The shrimp and the Angus steak are two of my favourites, but I still love that broccoli beef.
Panda Express is a fast food Chinese restaurant. Literally go in and if there’s no line you’re in & out within minutes. Or you can sit down. Whichever you prefer.
In the LA area it costs about $10 for one of those white containers which consists of 2 entrees (i.e. orange chicken and kung pao chicken) and 1 side (or 2 half sides). It's a lot of food!
Hi Kabir! A lot of the Chinese buffets here also have things like pizza and spaghetti in case someone in your party, or perhaps children don't really like Chinese food. Panda Express is pretty good and is quite affordable.
Egg Roll is not egg but at least when I make them, I seal the wrapper with egg. Egg roll is a wheat wrapper and can be stuffed with just about anything but typically vegetables (cabbage) or vegetables and meat, it is then deep fried. I generally make chicken eggrolls and add a variety of vegetables and even a bit of peanut butter. The yare so good. I can make a tray of 30 or more and people will eat them all. My eggrolls are about the size of a small burrito in circumference. Spring rolls generally use a rice wrapper and are vegetarian or vegan but can sometimes contain shrimp, chicken or pork. Orange Chicken is delicious. I have had it at several different Chinese restaurants and it is always excellent. Trader Joe's actually has frozen orange chicken that is excellent.
Chinese-American fare. I like it, but it's a bit overpriced for how much they give. There's a local place in my town called Ho Ho. They're similar in that they let you choose various parts of the order, but they fill the clamshell container so full it won't stay closed by itself.
If you can if anyone is getting Chinese today and likes crab. I recommend getting the crab ragoons. They're like wontons but fill with crab and if I remember right either cottage or cream cheese. They're soooo good. I'm also a fan of the Lo mein. Whenever I feel in a seafood mood I get the shrimp Lo Mein
You could probably make a halfway decent orange chicken glaze just by heating up some soy sauce, few spoonfuls of orange marmalade and some fresh garlic and black pepper in a saucepan. Add a pinch of MSG and maybe a bit of chili oil
There are a few things that I do like but I’ve not been to a Panda Express. Spring/egg rolls and orange chicken. All dipped in PF Chang’s Mango Sweet & Sour Sauce.
I usually pay $14+ for a plate which consist of either fried rice or chowmein, or half half of chowmein and fried rice plus two other items like orange chicken and Kung Pao chicken. Special items like the angus steak and honey walnut shrimps cost $1.50 more. Plus what ever drinks you want. And then I add cream cheese rations or eggrolls and it’ll cost a total of $18, something like that😊
Panda Express is a fast food Chinese food chain. Personally, it's good if you're hungry and on the go but I don't like it. If you want to go to a corporate chain Chinese restaurant, I'd suggest P.F. Chang, they're good. I prefer the sit-down chinese restaurants, I grew up with them. An egg roll is cabbage carrot strips of char sui pork or pork mince cooked with the same sauce or shrimp, rolled in an egg roll wrapper, then fried twice. Once on a lower heat to cook everything together & the 2nd time on a higher temperature to crisp up the outside. Usually served with plum sauce, aka duck sauce, and Chinese mustard for dipping. The best ones I've had have been in New York or in my hometown of East Windsor, New Jersey.
Panda Express does not charge by the item per se. You can get a bowl, small plate, and a large plate. The large plate is 3 items and a side like rice or lo main. I would guess they paid around $35 for all that. A large plate price (just had one a few weeks ago) runs about $12. Not sure what the egg rolls and spring rolls cost. Eggs roles are not just egg, they also have cabbage and meat in them then fried.
You have to ask for chopsticks. In some places it's on out on a counter where you can get them if you want them. I would never get that much food at one time. One bowl or small plate per person would do it. Panda Express is not too expensive. If I'm remembering correctly -- it's been years since I'v eaten there , it averages less than $10 per person for whatever I order. I prefer to eat more authentic Asian (Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indian, Thai, etc.) food. I don't make egg rolls or spring rolls but I've eaten lots. Based on what I've seen and tasted, egg rolls usually consist of lettuce, carrots, and pork (already cooked) wrapped in egg roll wrap and fried . Not sure where the eggs come in. Although I've also had shrimp egg rolls with shrimp replacing the pork. Spring rolls are served cold. Julienned carrots and cucumbers, some kind of leaves -- cilantro? mint? -- and rice noodles (cooked, of course), wrapped in a lettuce leaf (I think; also think there might be shredded cabbage in there somewhere). Then thin-sliced pork and shrimp on the outside, followed by spring roll wrappers on the outside.Dip in peanut sauce. I think this is the Vietnamese version. There's another culture's version that's fried. It was alright but I prefer the cold version. Some people add thin slices of fruit -- mangos or avocado with the veggies -- or replace the meat and shrimp with tofu (ugh!). Both egg rolls and spring rolls also have some kind of spices added in there somewhere, I believe.
Orange chicken is fantastic! I found a recipe or two online and it's nearly as good as the restaurant version. Egg rolls here in Canada seem to be different than in the States from what I've been told - ours are filled with bean sprouts as opposed to cabbage. I'm thinking it's been far too long since I've indulged in some Chinese food....lol
Panda Express might be a bigger deal in states outside of my own, but I would highly advise visiting a non-chain local restaurant if you’re interested in Chinese food. Doesn’t take that much longer to prepare and 10x better flavor!
I got a bigger plate yesterday and it was 15 dollars plus change. So two of those plus they got extra sides of egg roles and spring rolls so I would say 40 plus tax. So yeah. $50. Good guess. I like panda because it is freshly made food, the vegetables are all freshly chopped, they are cooking it in the back in view to keep it coming. I tend to not like the sweet stuff but I love the kung pao, the beef dish, black pepper chicken, mushroom chicken.😊
Yeah, that was my guess. Especially since they went with the "Big Plate" which I'm guessing is a few Entrées and rice with an egg roll or something? I haven't been to one in years, but I remember it being the place to go if you were High on hunger, and decent on dough
Panda Express is great Chinese fast food. They should change the name tho to Orange Chicken Express as I’d say 80% of their sakes are orange chicken. It’s so damn good and the reason the vast majority of people eat there.
Panda Express is one of the kinds of Chinese/American places that just puts syrup on all the food. Orange chicken can be phenomenal but NOT from Panda Express.
As an American I took a little offense to their tone in the beginning about "boy this really is American". Yeah. It's an American restaurant. America is a melting pot. We melt cultures together into our overall fabric. That's the entire thing with us/this country. And PS - they could have literally grabbed chopsticks at the register. I think I'm more annoyed with their disrespect of a foreign culture than I thought I was. And the reason they are getting "more" is because actual Chinese native people joined the American fabric and created this! The "real" Chinese restaurants in my town have a lot of seafood in soups. One has a whole room of different water animals in small individual tanks to pick out. Having grown up in the US the animal welfare of it rubs a little but I also appreciate that we can get real cultural foods here as well as Americanized versions.
Panda Express is not a buffet. You point to what you want and they give you a preset portion. Most everything comes separately. Their meats are pretty good. Their egg rolls need help.
Panda Express is good. The only drawback I see is when certain people who prepare the food rush it and the sauce hasn’t cooked down to that tasty sticky texture. Instead, they’ll serve it and the sauce is slimy. 🤢
Egg rolls most often do not contain egg at all. It is a misnomer that just carried on throughout time. At one point, a lot of the wrappers for the rolls were made with egg, but now there are many options that omit the egg.
lol… I’ve never had Panda Express. Truly there are so many privately owned Americanized Chinese restaurants there no reason to visit a chain. Personally I go for Hunan or Kung Pao chicken.
Each location is different. Not all have everything. Depends on which one. Pandas are Chinese🤔. the best Chinese food and COFFEE I ever had was in London. Ask for chopsticks.
I've taken notice that anything ethnic in the US, tends to be influenced by a certain ethnicity. Like "Italian" food is Italian-influenced food; Chinese food is Chinese-influenced food; Tex-Mex doesn't cut the BS as it's Mexican-influenced food. It's kind of an interesting infusion!
You would be better off ordering from any small Chinese take out place or making it yourself. Panda Express is just awful. I tried it twice. Only worth it if you’re wanting to experience it once.
Panda Express is the closest I’ll get to a buffet style restaurant. I can’t stand actual buffet places. They are always disgusting and extremely dirty. Food is always cold and taste weird
