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« Roadtrip: 818 Shao Kao aka JN Kitchen - San Gabriel (Los Angeles) | Main | Road Trip: Sea Harbour in Rosemead »

Monday, 20 July 2009

Comments

clayfu

you should read the yelp review on Mien Trung. Someone gave it 1 or 2 stars cause they didn't serve pho.
"What vietnamese place doesn't serve pho!"

noromdiam

One thing they do really well:

Giant cocktails!

My most vivid memories at Panda Country were the Scorpion (blended rum drink in a large glazed terracotta bowl) and the Volcano (in an even larger terracotta bowl with a small indent for the flaming Bacardi 151).

Pat

Fried dumplings/potstickers. Amazing.

I could just eat those. I probably would, since I'm not sure that the rest of the menu is up to that standard.

Try the potstickers though!

This place is a sentimental favorite, but there's nothing on the menu that would really float my boat beyond that.

kat

interesting place...

mike

The rec from the NYC ABC and the comment from noromdiam make me think immediately of China Inn in Pacific Beach.

The style is a certain form of old-school American Chinese (old-school on the American part, not the Chinese) restaurant blended with a bit of Tiki (cue the Scorpion and Volcano drinks).

An interesting cultural oddity, for sure.

Judy Lee

those are some creepy chairs...

Dennis

Hi Kirk, I flirted with Panda Country once but things didn't work out with us. And I distinctly remember two wait persons. One extremely nice and the other extremely curt, but it was a while back.

nhbilly

Snob ;-) My family calls me a food snob period...
The chair looks more like a rat than a panda bear and regarding the food I wouldn't know the difference btw real Chinese dish unless my mother-in-law made it.

Kirk

Hi Clayfu - LOL! It is great comic relief, if anything.....

Hi noromdiam - Tiki style cocktails!!! Now just maybe.... I used to frequent a place called Noble House in the Boston (Brookline) area that made some pretty potent drinks, and some pretty good ABCDE food.

Hi Pat - Potstickers, huh? Interesting......

Hi Kat - There are many of these restaurants all over the place in San Diego.

Hi Mike - Funny thing, I've eaten in all kind of ABCDEs all over the place. And each one has their "niche"...though I won't call the several converted rice dishes in Georgia a niche. Boston and Toronto were interesting. I'm trying to figure out what San Diego's ABCDEs do well to survive so long. All I can think of right now is super-sweet flavors.

Hi Judy - How would you like to sit on that.....looks like it'll take a bite out of your shoulder.

Hi Dennis - You flirted with a Panda??? You know, I thought about it and won't go there.... ;o)

Hi Billy - Me, snob????

Janfrederick

That sounds like me saying the best "American" food can be found at Home Town Buffet because, well, I American! ;) Although I'm sure the food there was orders of magnitude better that what can be had there.

Speaking of which, when are you going to do a post on Home Town Buffet? ;)

foodhoe

yup I grew up on that stuff too, battered fried in gloopy sauce. it offers a bit of comfort once in a while when dining with my parents. They think that anything beyond chowmein and mongolian beef is pretty rad.

j.

hi! i live right by this place. and i dont go there often, but when i do i always make sure to get the eggplant and pork stir-fry. it is really addicting!!

Eat. Travel. Eat!

Interesting name! Isn't it annoying when people say they know a good particular food only because they are of a certain race? Anyone can find good food as long as they research and try new items.

I have never heard of the term "ABCDE". Have heard of ABC, but not ABCDE. Perfect fit with the DE at the end :).

kirbie

I think your review of Panda Country is more generous than mine would have been. I went there once and won't be back. I don't always mind Americanized chinese food, but even considering it's Americanized, this place still wasn't very good. When I went, we ordered an eight person group meal, letting us try a range of food. Every single meat dish tastes exactly the same; I couldn't even tell what was what.

MrM

Ick.

The minute I see Black Bean Chicken with the diced zucchini I immediately think of Panda Express's 'mushroom chicken'. There is a version of this at every 99¢ I can think of.

I don't know if there has been a decent ABCDE Restaurant since the Hom Family went on to become doctors and lawyers.

There's one still out in Spring Valley, but that place is just spooky! I doubt the Homs still operate it.

MrM

I mean Black Bean Shrip =p.

Judy Lee

I think I'd rather starve than sit on that chair. ;)But that's just me...

Daimyo

I actually like the Panda Country double pan fried noodles and the Kung Pao San Yan at this place. Guilty pleasure.

Kirk

Hi Jan - Is that a request! ;o) Just for you, I might do it..... I've actually eaten in a Hometown Buffet once.

Hi FH - Even the Chinese Food I ate growing up wasn't this gooey and sweet.

Hi J - Thanks for the rec!

Hi ETE - I actually made the acronym up a few years back.

Hi Kirbie - LOL! Same sauce, different meat, that tastes the same.....

Hi MrM - I thought about mentioning the Panda Express resemblance, but decided not to.

Hi Judy - I'll buy you one for Xmas....after looking at that photo again, I feel kinda creeped out. Like someone or something is looking over your shoulder, huh?

Hi Daimyo - You see.....FOYs always know what's good on the menu! Thanks for the rec, and it's good to hear from you.

yummyyummie

LOL Those are the same things we served at my parents' old place. This is too funny, can't wait to share this w/ my sis later :D

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