Panda Express

It’s already that time of year: November. Which means that Christmas has already started, as every retailer in the world plays their selection of the best Christmas music, including and limited to, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. And while we’re all shopping and singing along at the mall looking for the perfect gift, eventually we all get tired and hungry and look for a nice restaurant to eat at. And what better place to go than Panda Express when you've just spent all your money on your friend’s (very expensive) gift.

Panda Express is a famous Chinese-American fast food restaurant widely known for its signature Orange Chicken entree. The restaurant is one of my personal favorites, as I have been there many times and loved the experience. As I walked in, looking at the various food choices they had displayed, I had decided to try some that I never tasted before. I stepped into the line and waited for my turn. There were about five others in the line waiting with me, and I expected that it might take a while, however, I was wrong.

The employees worked quickly as if they were being held hostage and told to serve people as fast as they could, only being delayed when a customer was deciding what to get. I had honestly believed that the wait would have been much longer since Panda Express cooked their food fresh at the restaurant. And even though it may sometimes take a while to order, the wait is definitely worth it as the food is great as I was about to find out. Soon enough, it was my turn to order, and since I don’t have any friends, I could only order just two entrees and a side as that was all I could manage to eat.

I walked up to the glass and an employee asked me how many entrees I wanted. I, of course, said two. Now if you have never been to a Panda Express, they have a layout where there’s a glass display showcasing all the food they had, with their kitchen behind it and employees waiting to take your order by the glass, kind of like a buffet.

After I told the employee I wanted two he asked me if I had wanted noodles or fried rice. I said noodles. Then I ordered my entrees. I had taken a while to choose between the multiple options but the employee was really nice and had waited with a smile. Even though this restaurant has very few customer-employee interactions, Panda Express excelled in them. And this isn’t the first time I had been to a Panda Express. Each time, the employees are very friendly and helpful.

Eventually, I had chosen the mushroom chicken and Sweetfire chicken breast. After ordering, I had paid and was surprised at the cost. I had expected it to be higher but no, it was only $7.96 or so. Panda Express has quite big proportions of food and is also very filling so the price was definitely worth it. As this was around noon, there weren’t many tables left but there were a few so I sat down and dug in.

I opened my box and saw the bright colors of the food. If this was a cooking competition, I would rate it a 9/10 on presentation. The noodles were a nice golden brown color that looked very nicely done, almost like the noodles were made of gold. Of course, looks are only part of the food. It has to taste good as well. I got my fork, wound the noodles around it, and bit in. It was amazing. Most noodles I have tasted, taste like air but in solid form, however, Panda Express knew what they were doing and made the noodles taste like God himself came down to earth just to bless these noodles with good taste. This was my first day on the job so I didn’t really know how to describe the taste, but it had a hint of sweetness among other things.

The entrees were even better if it was possible. I don’t usually like mushrooms, and I’m not sure why I chose to order the mushroom chicken, but I was thoroughly surprised when I tasted the chicken and it actually tasted good. The combination of the savory sauce and the slightly bitter taste of mushrooms played off each other to create a unique taste that resonated throughout the entree. And when combined with the noodles, it tasted perfect.

The Sweetfire chicken was much the same yet very much the opposite. A bright gold color with red flecks in some places, It looked quite good. When initially tasting it, the chicken was quite sweet, but then was immediately combated by the tangy and slightly spicy half of the flavor. The name is a perfect fit for the food, almost perfectly describing the taste. The chicken was a bit tough but that did not deter the taste. Pineapples were also added in, and they really added to the flavor. The pineapples tasted like they were thrown into the flame and came back even better, with the taste of the fire and the sweetness of the fruit.

Overall, just a splendid dish. Before I knew it, I had finished everything on my plate. That was surprising to me. I have a very small appetite. I don’t even know why I was chosen for this job. I normally can’t finish anything of those proportions, but somehow I did. Panda Express just does something right that just makes the food taste incredible. Most other restaurants can’t compare their food to Panda Express’s when it comes to taste or even price. But while I was eating I was also taking in my surroundings.

Panda Express gives off a very nice vibe. Their lighting makes the restaurant feel formal yet at the same time gives it such a homely feel. With red-tinted hanging lights, the faint music in the background, people talking, and nice designs on the walls, the atmosphere felt very peaceful and calming. It was easy to forget that I was in a chaotic mall and just focus on my food and the relaxing nature of the place. The outside appearance was just as nice with the Panda getting into the season that everyone seems to think takes up two entire months. A small but nicely decorated Christmas tree on the right of the entrance and a few more Christmas themed items on the left.

Panda Express really is just a one of a kind restaurant. You can’t go anywhere else for that food. I have never met a person who never liked Panda Express. So next time you have a bit of money on you, you’re hungry and there’s a Panda Express, well, you already know what to do.