The need for expediency in our busy society leads some of us to make hasty food choices. Because we have a lot to do, we want our next meal to be available NOW! However, when we become slaves to convenience, we sometimes sacrifice quality.
That won’t happen at Panda Express, though.
I’d heard good things about the Panda Express in Dalton, Ga., but rarely make it down that way, so when the company opened a new location on Gunbarrel Road, across the street from Hamilton Place Mall, I decided to check it out.
My Panda Express experience started the moment I stepped out of my car and smelled the sweet aroma of Chinese food. Unlike some people, I don’t crave Chinese cuisine, but by the time I reached the door, I was already twice as hungry as I’d been when I’d put my car in park.
The Panda Express on Gunbarrel makes an excellent first impression with its bright, colorful decor and sparkling clean dining and food prep areas. To emphasize the freshness of the meal you’ll be eating, the refrigerator doors behind the food prep area are made of glass, allowing you to see what the restaurant has in stock. This adds even more color to the space, as many of the dishes at Panda Express call for fresh vegetables.
Panda Express is similar in layout to the Chinese restaurants in malls, where you start at one end of a counter and work your way toward the cash register, telling the people on the other side what you want as you go. However, the counter at Panda Express is longer, as the variety of food is greater, and the selections look far more appealing than the standard food court fare.
At Panda Express, the moment you step through the door, you’re in line. Literally, no sooner had the door closed behind me than a young woman on the other side of the counter cheerfully asked what I’d like. Since it was Saturday, and the place was packed, I had anticipated a wait, but the well oiled machine at Panda Express was going to get me seated and eating ASAP.
Panda Express makes ordering easy. You begin by choosing either chow mein, fried rice, steamed rice or steamed veggies as your side, and then start adding meats, which include several chicken, beef, shrimp and pork entrees. You can order your food in a bowl with one side and one meat, or on a plate with one side and two or three meats.
Chicken entrees include Orange, Sweet Fire, String Bean, Kung Pao, Mandarin, Mushroom and Black Pepper. Beef entrees include Beijing, Kobari and Broccoli. Shrimp entrees include Honey Walnut and Peppercorn. A slow roasted barbecue pork dish is also available.
I decided to go with the steamed veggies and the two kinds of shrimp. When I told the girl I wanted to try the Peppercorn Shrimp, she stuck a toothpick through a plump shrimp and offered it to me over the counter. Instead of grabbing the freebie, I corrected my wording so she understood I was ordering the shrimp. I’m still kicking myself, but least you know you can try something before you commit to buying it.
Panda Express has several appetizers as well, including chicken egg rolls, chicken potstickers, veggie spring rolls, cream cheese rangoon, crispy shrimp and “hot and sour soup.” I added three potstickers for a buck-twenty-five.
Going with the two shrimp dishes allowed me to try something mild and something spicy. The Honey Walnut Shrimp features fresh tempura shrimp wok-tossed in a gourmet honey sauce and topped with glazed walnuts. The combination of sweet and crispy made my mouth water before each bite. The Peppercorn Shrimp is prepared with marinated shrimp, fresh asparagus and red bell peppers, all wok-tossed with chopped onions in a zesty peppercorn sauce. It was outstanding.
The steamed veggies were as impressive as the shrimp. As you’d expect, the broccoli, zucchini, carrots, string beans and cabbage were crisp and delicious.
My wife accompanied me, and enjoyed the fried rice, which comes with steamed rice tossed with soy sauce, scrambled eggs, green peas, carrots and chopped green onions, and the Sweet Fire Chicken, which features crispy, white-meat chicken bites tossed in a wok with red bell peppers, diced onions, juicy pineapple and a tangy, sweet chili sauce. She begrudgingly allowed me to eat a couple bites, but most of the Beijing Beef she’d ordered remained on her plate at the end of her meal.
My only objection to Panda Express is the lack of tempting desserts; the fortune and chocolate chip cookies did not turn me on. We easily remedied that situation with a quick drive to Chattanooga Cupcakes down the road. For those who prefer ice cream, Marble Slab Creamery is even closer.
Before closing, I should add that my and wife and I were able to purchase our entrees, appetizer and drinks for under twenty dollars, proving that not only can you get good food fast at Panda Express, you can also get it cheap.
I’m thrilled Panda Express has opened a location in Chattanooga, as the food is terrific, the service is fast and the prices are more than reasonable. If you find yourself craving a taste of the Orient, or are simply in the Hamilton Place area, give it a shot.
Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.