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Panda Express launches General Tso's Chicken

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I was legit thinking of going to get some of this last night. General Tso's is my favorite dish from Chinese places.

But it doesn't look like their version is really spicy, which is kind of a drag.

I'll probably still give it a go.
 

Khezu

Member
I tried it today because of this thread.

First time I have had Panda Express.

Didn't care for it, smaller portions, rice was bleh, and the Tso chicken was pretty bland.

The other thing I had was alright though, Bejing beef I think it was?

Though Tso chicken has never been very consistent for me, every Chinese place around me seems to make it different.

Personally I always preferred to make it myself because I like my friend chicken balls covered in sugary sauce to be bite sized, and most places like to make them fuckhuge.
 
Tried a free sample today. Horrible. It is that same fucking nugget of chicken coated in different sauce. Which itself isn't even very good.

And did they replace the String Bean Chicken with this shit? That is what I went there for and they told me they didn't have it.
 
People are saying their interpretation of General Tso's chicken misses the mark greatly. What a mess. I'm actually heading to a local Chinese place to pick up some General Tso, they love me there. I'm going to do very well there, I think.
 
Panda is mediocre.gif, but for some reason despite being the home of Reform Judaism there's like 0 decent chinese joints near where I am in Cinci, so I take what I can get.
 

Replicant

Member
Those Asian-inspired dish always end up being a meat crumbed and deep fried then slathered in some kind of sauce served with 3 boiled veg.
 

Narag

Member
I'm often wary of trying new restaurants but ryuukan's thread motivated me to finally give Panda Express a try. He's something of a mentor for me from the old softdrink-gaf days where we'd brave the unknown and report back to those bold few that participated in that now defunct community. My good friend, Line_HTX, had been pressuring me to give Panda a try for a while now as he's something of a fan but I was resistant given how terrible access to my local Panda was given the road construction and parking issues. Today was our day though.

I went specifically for the General Tso's but found myself pretty overwhelmed by the selection. I had no idea there were this many Chinese dishes I could choose from. I declined the free sample of General Tso's so as to not spoil this first time epicurean experience and opted for that,white rice, and some sort of beef & broccoli dish. I'll have to say I agree with ryuukan's sentiment about the General Tso's just being ok. It didn't seem like anything special and after reading through this thread it seems I should have opted for the orange chicken instead? My receipt came with a coupon for a free entree on the back so I might give it a try tomorrow. I'll report back if I do.
 
I ordered it today. It was just alright to me. Pretty bland. Slight hint of orange peel flavor, not spicy. idk, whatevs. the veggies were crisp and fresh in it though. You guys who say they use frozen veg are crazy!

Orange chicken was still good though! haha
 

FelixOrion

Poet Centuriate
Had some tonight. It was okay, not really spicy at all (and I can't handle spice), but the orange chicken is still the GoAT.
 
The one near me must not have been successful, because it didn't last very long. It's in a new build area, by a newer Costco. Or, it was.
 

Starviper

Member
Why all the hate for PE? I put them up there with Chipotle in that all their ingredients are fresh and cooked on location rather than some shit that comes in a bag like some cheaper Chinese take home places.
 

chualie

Member
i love the orange chicken too but no love for beijing beef? its really good too. think i'll go this weekend to panda and try the general tsos chicken.

Beijing Beef is good but it is overshadowed by the greatness that is Orange Chicken. Sadly, there is no Panda Express close by :(
 

TopDreg

Member
As a half-Chinese person raised on authentic Chinese food from my immigrant mother, I enjoyed the General Tso's--more than Orange Chicken, even. But then, I've been repeatedly told that I have garbage-tier taste.
 

Khoryos

Member
Fun fact: General Tso's Chicken doesn't appear on Chinese menus in the UK.

All I know about it I've pieced together from context and reading topics like this.
 

Shouta

Member
Their Kung Pao chicken is still the best thing on the menu.

It is and it actually beats out a lot of Kung Pao Chicken dishes from actual Chinese restaurants, at least in my experience. Kung Pao Chicken is my go to in fact. That is unless I'm in the UK because KPC over there is General Tso's/Sweet and Sour/Orange Chicken to us, lol.
 
What a monstrous comment

Pandas Express is great. Im gonna have some today in fact. Orange chicken mhmmhm good

It tastes just like the bag you can buy frozen from Trader Joes though....

I loved when they opened a standalone Panda Express here not long ago and it has an open kitchen. So you can watch these people cut open a frozen bag of fried chicken and pop it in the pan just for you. I dunno just seems rather silly, I know it's fast food so I should expect that but why have an open kitchen like you are supposed to be in awe of these master chefs making fresh food for you. When it's just some underpaid cook warming up frozen stuffs.
 
I'm often wary of trying new restaurants but ryuukan's thread motivated me to finally give Panda Express a try. He's something of a mentor for me from the old softdrink-gaf days where we'd brave the unknown and report back to those bold few that participated in that now defunct community. My good friend, Line_HTX, had been pressuring me to give Panda a try for a while now as he's something of a fan but I was resistant given how terrible access to my local Panda was given the road construction and parking issues. Today was our day though.

I went specifically for the General Tso's but found myself pretty overwhelmed by the selection. I had no idea there were this many Chinese dishes I could choose from. I declined the free sample of General Tso's so as to not spoil this first time epicurean experience and opted for that,white rice, and some sort of beef & broccoli dish. I'll have to say I agree with ryuukan's sentiment about the General Tso's just being ok. It didn't seem like anything special and after reading through this thread it seems I should have opted for the orange chicken instead? My receipt came with a coupon for a free entree on the back so I might give it a try tomorrow. I'll report back if I do.

This is fascinating stuff, no lie. More food reviews from you please.
 
Had the Panda Express General Tsos. It's middle of the road - it doesn't taste bad, but it's not as good as the Orange Chicken (maybe that was their plot from the outset). I would say my biggest problem with Panda's General Tso's is that it's white meat instead of dark meat, though I know some may like it more for that reason instead.
 
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