The Giant Happy Panda

Panda Express in the Lloyd District

I make fun of Panda Express, calling it “Giant Panda, Happy Panda, Balloon Panda,” and all sorts of other things. The reason I do that is partly because I cannot remember its name.

Partly, it’s because I think it’s “slightly” humorous.

I refer to a certain store as “The Big Store” when its actual name is…

…I forget.

You know, it’s the store they copied for that television show, “Chuck.” Now I can’t remember what the “Chuck” store is called, either.

I’ll ask my wife (hold on).

Okay, Junko knew. The store is really called, “Best Buy,” and its name on Chuck is, “Buy More.” Sometimes you get a mental block on names. Occasionally, people refer to that mental block as, “Sometimers Disease.”

When I first saw Panda Express, I refused to go inside – in spite of the fact that a “chicken bowl” used to be my lunch. I obtained it from a place very similar to Panda Express.

The reason I wouldn’t buy from Panda Express is because I was a snob. They cooked in a wok, sure – but then put their food in a metal tray above hot water (very much like the mess hall used to do when I was in the Army).

When they are busy (like right after work), they are constantly replenishing those trays from the wok.

Why do I keep going back? They are inexpensive. For a “side,” you can get fried rice, white rice, or noodles. I’m not much of a noodle person, so I usually get white rice or fried rice. Two spring rolls. Hot & Sour soup. Three entrees. That costs less than ten dollars and feeds two. Maybe you’ll have leftovers.

You only get one fortune cookie, though.

The Hot & Sour Soup?

I’m partial to Hot & Sour soup, so I’ve tried the local Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai restaurants. Even when the soup at the Giant Panda looks terrible, it still tastes good. Maybe I shouldn’t say so, but I think it’s better than the other local restaurants.

Oh, where’s the Giant Panda (Panda Express) located?

In the Lloyd District at the corner of 14th and Weidler. Across from the slanted double-decker parking lot at BofA. The same street that Applebee’s is on. There is take-out parking in back of the restaurant. You can reach that from 15th.