6.09.2006

happy panda dance

For the last several weeks, every time I drive up 95 into Hayden I do a little happy panda dance.

Coeur d’Alene is getting a Panda Express. After about a month and a half of construction, Panda Express opened this week. And apparently, I am not the only person excited about this.

We went there for dinner last night, there were a dozen cars waiting in the drive through and the line inside was equally long, we waited in line for about a half hour before getting to order. Worth the wait though.

I'm sure some of you have never heard of Panda Express. Just think of it as Subway with Chinese food instead of sub sandwiches. Really good Americanized Chinese food.

I used to eat at one in Boise a lot. There was one in the same parking lot as the Old Navy I used to work for. It was that, Carl Jr's, Arbys, or junk food from ShopKo. There wasn't a Panda Express in Sioux Falls when we lived there, and until now there wasn't one here. So it's been a couple of years since I've had Panda Express.

Although, they've changed some of their recipes since I last ate there. The orange chicken is a bit spicier than I remember. And they soak their sweet and sour pork in the sweet and sour sauce prior to serving instead of after, no longer giving you the option to serve the sauce on the side.

Oh well, still really good food.

3 comments:

  1. I was also very excited about this place. My whole family loves Chinese food and the only really good place in town seemed to be the overly expensive Bonsai Bistro.

    But for $25 I can get a "Panda Feast" and get at least two meals out of it. Not only that, but like you said, it's fresh and tasty!

    We were there last Friday night, in the drive-thru, and had already picked up our food when they started having trouble with their credit card machine. So we ended up getting our first meal there for free. It definitely will not be our last!

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  2. Anonymous12:39 PM

    I don't want to hijack your post, but we've been having a little discussion about the new Panda Express on the TEO forums. Feel free to come on over and put in your two cents!

    ReplyDelete
  3. No Pei Wei here, but the is a Noodle Express and a Hu Hot. Mmmm, I love Hu Hot.

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