Panda House - Omaha

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Omaha World Herald
Thursday, September 25, 1997

Dining Out
By Jim Delmont

Panda House Continues Talented Tradition

Johnnie Wu’s Panda House operation continues to thrive at two locations - the original at 144th Street and West Center Road, and the new Panda at 16th and Farnam Streets downtown. I revisited the original, just across from Oak View Mall, and found it as attractive, well-staffed and pleasant as ever.

Wu and his family, from Taiwan, run a Chinese operation. Most of the help are fluent in Chinese, so that sometimes you feel they are operating as interpreters - but they are happy to explain the origin of sauces or the preparation of dishes after consulting in Chinese with chefs and cooks.

Panda House is larger than it looks - seating well over 100, despite the intimate look of the place. The decorative scheme, in mauve and teal, is subdued and tasteful. As at most Chinese restaurants, the menu is huge - fully 128 items, including 27 “house specialties.”

The latter are a few dollars more than the general run of entrees, with whole Peking duck topping the list at $22 (up from $21 in 1991 - prices here are moderate and have remained stable). Most entrees are in the $7 to $9 range, with some (chow mein) as low as $5.50.

Over the years, we have found of consistency in the cooking here. The sliced duck and sliced lamb dishes are quite good, as is the Panda Sizzling Delicacy - beef, shrimp, scallops, and vegetables in a brown sauce on a sizzling platter ($10.50).

The pan-fried dumplings are rich and filling, served with a heady sauce concocted with garlic, onion, and vinegar. Egg rolls here are fresh and crisp. The appetizer list has the usual Chinese restaurant offerings, plus chicken wings, fried prawns, and a half dozen soups. The hot and sour soup is tangy, rich, almost syrupy.

Sizzling Steak Pot is a rich offering of beef in gravy, with Chinese vegetables. The brothy, simmered gravy has scallions and ginger and is an extended brown sauce. Served in a clay pot, it is a house specialty at $8.95.

I tried Shrimp and Scallops with Garlic Sauce, a red highlighted, spicy item that offered numbs of shrimp, scallops, julienned carrots and vegetables in a thick, sweet sauce that had a hint of orange.

Mongolian Lamp ($8.95) had tidbits of mild-flavored lamp in a dark sauce with lots of scallions. As an accompaniment, you can opt for steamed white rice or fried rice with bits of egg and peas.

Pancake-served “moo shu” dishes are available with chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork at modest prices. There are all kinds of chicken dishes - and a boneless Rose Duck in a plum sauce, for $9.75.

Flavors here tend to be subtle, and spiciness in certain Szechuan dishes is not overdone.

A favorite is Neptune’s basket - Alaskan crab, sea scallops, shrimp, snow peas, and other vegetables sauced in a crisp noodle basket ($12.50). Coated fried entrees include Sesame Chicken, Crispy Shrimp, Tangerine Chicken and Tangerine Beef (coated with lotus flour, fried, then coated with a spicy hot, tangerine-flavored sauce). These are crunchy and available with various sauce treatments.

Service at both Panda Houses is courteous and attentive. For a quiet, elegant little Chinese supper at moderate prices, Panda House is a good bet. House wines are $2.25 a glass, other wines are available at bargain bottle prices, and there is a full menu of exotic drinks.

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. return to history menu . Omaha World Herald Thursday, September 25, 1997 Dining Out By Jim Delmont Panda House Continues Talented Tradition Johnnie Wu’s Panda House operation continues to thrive at two locations - the original at 144th Street and West Center Road, and the new Panda at 16th and Farnam Streets downtown. I revisited the original, just across from Oak View Mall, and found it as attractive, well-staffed and pleasant as ever. Wu and his family, from Taiwan, run a Chinese operation. Most of the help are fluent in Chinese, so that sometimes you feel they are operating as interpreters - but they are happy to explain the origin of sauces or the preparation of dishes after consulting in Chinese with chefs and cooks. Panda House is larger than it looks - seating well over 100, despite the intimate look of the place. The decorative scheme, in mauve and teal, is subdued and tasteful. As at most Chinese restaurants, the menu is huge - fully 128 items, including 27 “house specialties.” The latter are a few dollars more than the general run of entrees, with whole Peking duck topping the list at $22 (up from $21 in 1991 - prices here are moderate and have remained stable). Most entrees are in the $7 to $9 range, with some (chow mein) as low as $5.50. Over the years, we have found of consistency in the cooking here. The sliced duck and sliced lamb dishes are quite good, as is the Panda Sizzling Delicacy - beef, shrimp, scallops, and vegetables in a brown sauce on a sizzling platter ($10.50). The pan-fried dumplings are rich and filling, served with a heady sauce concocted with garlic, onion, and vinegar. Egg rolls here are fresh and crisp. The appetizer list has the usual Chinese restaurant offerings, plus chicken wings, fried prawns, and a half dozen soups. The hot and sour soup is tangy, rich, almost syrupy. Sizzling Steak Pot is a rich offering of beef in gravy, with Chinese vegetables. The brothy, simmered gravy has scallions and ginger and is an extended brown sauce. Served in a clay pot, it is a house specialty at $8.95. I tried Shrimp and Scallops with Garlic Sauce, a red highlighted, spicy item that offered numbs of shrimp, scallops, julienned carrots and vegetables in a thick, sweet sauce that had a hint of orange. Mongolian Lamp ($8.95) had tidbits of mild-flavored lamp in a dark sauce with lots of scallions. As an accompaniment, you can opt for steamed white rice or fried rice with bits of egg and peas. Pancake-served “moo shu” dishes are available with chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork at modest prices. There are all kinds of chicken dishes - and a boneless Rose Duck in a plum sauce, for $9.75. Flavors here tend to be subtle, and spiciness in certain Szechuan dishes is not overdone. A favorite is Neptune’s basket - Alaskan crab, sea scallops, shrimp, snow peas, and other vegetables sauced in a crisp noodle basket ($12.50). Coated fried entrees include Sesame Chicken, Crispy Shrimp, Tangerine Chicken and Tangerine Beef (coated with lotus flour, fried, then coated with a spicy hot, tangerine-flavored sauce). These are crunchy and available with various sauce treatments. Service at both Panda Houses is courteous and attentive. For a quiet, elegant little Chinese supper at moderate prices, Panda House is a good bet. House wines are $2.25 a glass, other wines are available at bargain bottle prices, and there is a full menu of exotic drinks. . return to history menu .