EDITOR’S NOTE: NOW CLOSED
There’s something to be said about authentic Chinese food. And now that I’ve said it, lets move on to Chinese food of a more familiar variety: Westernized Chinese! You know what I’m talking about? That mall food court overly greasy cafeteria style Chinese served up by the likes of Panda Express.
Well, just recently Fat Panda, a Panda Express clone or sorts, has opened its doors right next to Noksapyeoung Station in Itaewon. You can’t imagine how I’ve missed General Tsao’s chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Beef & Broccoli, and Chow Mein. Before I made the trip my friends Amanda and Sharlene had already stopped over. Our facebook discussion on Fat Panda went like this:
Amanda Not bad. Food wasn’t warm, service wasn’t quick. But for mall food court Chinese, it wasn’t bad.
Brian Pricey?
Amanda 10,000 for a set.
Brian Hmmm I guess I should go investigate!
Sharlene check the food for hair before you eat it, the chefs don’t wear hairnets and it shows! to their credit though, they gave me lots of free food when i complained about the hair. however, the black pepper chicken was surprisingly bland.
Amanda I liked the orange chicken.
Sharlene yeah they gave me some of that for free because they fogot which chicken i had actually ordered. that was the only thing i liked
Brian You guys are not making this sound appealing!
Sharlene it wasn’t. but i’d go back and give them another chance after they’ve been open for awhile and figured out what they’re doing.
Brian I do love some orange chicken though.
Amanda I liked it well enough. It’s a quick option and exactly what I would expect from them.
Brian Ok I’ll give them a try tonight.
Brian Pricey?
Amanda 10,000 for a set.
Brian Hmmm I guess I should go investigate!
Sharlene check the food for hair before you eat it, the chefs don’t wear hairnets and it shows! to their credit though, they gave me lots of free food when i complained about the hair. however, the black pepper chicken was surprisingly bland.
Amanda I liked the orange chicken.
Sharlene yeah they gave me some of that for free because they fogot which chicken i had actually ordered. that was the only thing i liked
Brian You guys are not making this sound appealing!
Sharlene it wasn’t. but i’d go back and give them another chance after they’ve been open for awhile and figured out what they’re doing.
Brian I do love some orange chicken though.
Amanda I liked it well enough. It’s a quick option and exactly what I would expect from them.
Brian Ok I’ll give them a try tonight.
They had it right. My food wasn’t warm at all and bland sums it up. Whatever spices or flavoring they’re using they need to bump it up a notch. My fried rice was also way too stale. I think the prices should be cut by 25%. With the portions and quality at the current level the 10,000 I paid for my set plus drink doesn’t cut it.
On the menu you can choose between 1 side and 1 entree for 6,900KRW, 1 side and 2 entrees for 7.900KRW, or 1 side, 2 entrees and an egg roll for 8,400KRW.
The Good
Hopefully they’re getting the kinks out and will get things together in a few months. Western style Chinese would be good to have close by.
The Bad
Cold food. A tad overpriced for what you get.
The Weird
Not so much weird as disappointing: my fried rice being stale.
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Thanks, but fat panda has sadly closed.
I do enjoy the manner in which you have presented this specific situation plus it really does give me personally a lot of fodder for consideration. Nonetheless, through what precisely I have personally seen, I only hope when the reviews pack on that folks keep on issue and don’t start on a soap box associated with the news of the day. Yet, thank you for this superb point and even though I do not agree with this in totality, I value the perspective.
Thanks! Glad you’re here! Too bad Fat Panda has gone goodbye!
did this place close down?
I swung by and yes they are closed. Farewell Fat Panda we hardly knew you!
aw…I was hoping this place would be good…
Me too, but I’m going to give them another chance in a couple months. By December they should have their act together, right?
HELL YEAH! I’ve been craving American Style Chinese food for so long! Much better than Korean Style Chinese food. I wonder what Chinese Style Chinese food is. Probably burgers…
Hmmm, I'm pondering what Chinese Style American style Chinese Food really is. I bet it's just Chinese food. Sigh.