**** Panda Country has closed
About two years ago, I remember sitting and having some sushi. During the meal, I struck up a conversation with a quiet, somewhat serious, intense young man. And of course, eventually the subject of food came up. As we spoke about Chinese Restaurants in San Diego, the young man asked me, "do you know the best Chinese Restaurant in San Diego?" Now I had this guy pegged as an "ABC" (American Born Chinese), so I immediately offered up places like China Max, Jasmine, Emerald, and Golden City. The young man gave me this strange look, and I suddenly felt like a spaz who meant to scratch his eye but ended up with his finger halfway up his nostril..... "It's Panda Country." Is what he said with total conviction. Not placing the restaurant, and wondering if I've somehow overlooked some hidden treasure, I replied "Panda Country?" "Yes Panda Country, and I should know....." And then the inevitable happened, he uttered the phrase that always makes me shake my head, "because I'm Chinese." And to up the ante, he followed up with, "and I'm from New York, and WE know good food...." Ah yes, the double whammy, "genetics and geography", I suddenly felt like I was reading a review from that "four lettered" website, full of "I know good xxxx food because I'm (fill in the blank race)." And yet, I still couldn't place Panda Country, until I was making the left turn on Genesee at Clairemont Mesa Boulevard......geeez, Panda Country, I've passed this place thousands of times. The place looked like a typical "ABCDE" ("American Born Chinese Dining Establishment" - pronounced Ab-cee-dee).
Nothing against ABCDEs, in fact I was raised eating at places called Kwok's Chop Suey, McCully Chop Suey, Hee-Hing, and Kapahulu Chop Suey. Eating stuff like Cold Ginger Chicken, Oyster Sauce Chicken, Sweet Sour Spareribs, Almond Duck, Kau Yuk, and Lemon Chicken. Not having much in the way of money growing up, meals from these places marked special occasions. And though I'm not a fan of most of what is served in San Diego at places with names like, "New Eastern Panda Dragon Pearl Garden House Cuisine", many ABCDEs serve good solid fare. And yet, for some reason I couldn't bring myself to enter through the doors of Panda Country for two years.
And of course, I waited until an evening when the Missus was tied up, and not available for dinner.
The fairly dark interior of Panda Country looked like your typical time-warp 70's Chinese Restaurant. The theme was....well Panda's of course.
While waiting for my order, watching folks come in to eat, and pick-up take-out orders, I could make out a typical customer profile. I don't want to sound to age discriminant so I'm only going to say, that there was a lot of blue hair, walkers, and canes. On the good side, I felt like a spring chicken!
And though the carvings looked more like some exotic rodent than a Panda, I really dug the chairs!!!
While waiting for my order, between serving and seating customers, I had a nice conversation with the Server who is from "Canton"......no not Ohio, but the city now known as Guangzhou. He was really nice and friendly. I was told that Panda Country has been around longer than he has, which probably put the place at around thirty years or so. When I asked where the Chef was from, I was told Hong Kong. I quickly brightened and said, "the chef trained in Hong Kong?" To which he replied; "no, the chef is from Hong Kong......" Still I really liked this Guy, and the place was fairly hopping when I left.
Somehow I had remembered what I was told to order here, and even ordered a few more for good measure.
Being a big chicken wing fan, I started with some Fried Chicken Wings ($5.50):
These weren't bad if a bit short on seasoning. Not something I'd order again, but not bad.
One of the items recommended was the "Crispy Beef" ($10.25):
The was more like "candied beef", man was it sweet. It truly hurt my teeth. I was warned about this dish being spicy, which it wasn't. I'm sure if you had eaten this at the restaurant, there would have been a bit more "crunch" to it. The beef was one the chewy side, which is perfectly fine with dishes like this.
The House Special Chicken ($10.25):
If I could rename this dish, I'd call it "General Tso Slept Here" as it resembled versions of the dish known as General Tso's Chicken. In case you're wondering about the story of that dish, you can read Fuchsia Dunlop's version either in her Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, or read Her article from NPR here. The batter on this was pretty good, it held it's crunch on the trip home. The flavor, for such a robust looking dish was bland.
I also ordered the Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce ($11.95):
This was the best dish overall. I could have done without the frozen peas, and prefer green bell peppers and onions to the zucchini, but this was not bad. Good amount of shrimp, a tad over-cooked, but acceptable. Decent amount of black bean and garlic as well. I think that Mandarin Canton and Mandarin make better versions of this dish. The texture of the sauce wasn't overly gluey and gooey which was also a plus.
OK, before I get a ton of poison pen letters telling me I'm a Chinese Food snob, blah, blah, blah.....do me a favor, and think of something they do really well at Panda Country. And maybe, just maybe, I'll pay them another visit. Maybe not....
Panda Country
4455 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117
And the next time the best reason someone can come up with regarding food is their race......think twice.
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!"
Posted by: clayfu | Monday, 20 July 2009 at 10:01 PM
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).
Posted by: noromdiam | Monday, 20 July 2009 at 10:02 PM
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.
Posted by: Pat | Monday, 20 July 2009 at 10:04 PM
interesting place...
Posted by: kat | Monday, 20 July 2009 at 10:30 PM
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.
Posted by: mike | Monday, 20 July 2009 at 10:49 PM
those are some creepy chairs...
Posted by: Judy Lee | Monday, 20 July 2009 at 10:49 PM
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.
Posted by: Dennis | Monday, 20 July 2009 at 11:42 PM
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.
Posted by: nhbilly | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 06:25 AM
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????
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 07:50 AM
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? ;)
Posted by: Janfrederick | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 08:42 AM
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.
Posted by: foodhoe | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 08:47 AM
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!!
Posted by: j. | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 09:05 AM
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 :).
Posted by: Eat. Travel. Eat! | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 09:15 AM
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.
Posted by: kirbie | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 09:23 AM
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.
Posted by: MrM | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 10:01 AM
I mean Black Bean Shrip =p.
Posted by: MrM | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 10:05 AM
I think I'd rather starve than sit on that chair. ;)But that's just me...
Posted by: Judy Lee | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 12:26 PM
I actually like the Panda Country double pan fried noodles and the Kung Pao San Yan at this place. Guilty pleasure.
Posted by: Daimyo | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 05:34 PM
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.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 07:10 PM
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
Posted by: yummyyummie | Tuesday, 21 July 2009 at 07:56 PM