Panda House - Omaha

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Omaha World Herald
Friday, August 11, 1995

Dine Out
By Jim Delmont

Suburban Restaurant Offers Distinctive Chinese Cuisine

Panda House, near 144th Street and West Center Road, is a larger, slightly more formal place, founded in 1991 by Johnnie Wu, who operated Hunan restaurants in Grand Island, Lincoln, and Omaha.

It is a lovely place decorated in mauve and teal, with very comfortable booths along one wall. Chinese music is muted in the background. Panda House, with seating for about 140, offers more than 100 selections in the usual categories, with some emphasis on hot and spicy Szechuan offerings.

A good place to browse on the menu is the 27 selection “House Specialties” section, where you can find Peking Duck, Panda Sizzling Delicacy, (shrimp, scallops, and beef in a clay dish). Neptune’s Basket (shrimp, sea scallops, and Alaskan Crab with snow peas, and other vegetables with a brown sauce in a crispy noodle basket), Lamb in Two Flavors (hot sauce and a delicate scallion sauce), Sizzling Steak Pot and Tangerine Chicken.

The pan fried dumplings (a $3.25 appetizer) are meaty and spicy. The seafood tends to be fresh and tender. All sauces are carefully made and dishes have considerable individuality.

On recent visits, we have enjoyed the Volcano Beef (sliced, coated with lotus flour, and served flaming with rum); several kinds of lamb - robust but tender; the Triple Delights with Garlic Sauce - a spicy concoction of scallops, shrimp, chicken, water chestnuts and mushrooms in a hot brown garlic sauce.

A boned young roast duckling (“Golden Crispy Duck”) in a five-spice sauce with pine nuts is another interesting choice.

There are the usual pork, chicken, beef and seafood entrees, plus Chow Mein and Lo Mein and a lot of appetizers, fried rice dishes, and soups.

Panda House has a discriminating kitchen and is one of the city’s best Chinese eateries. The restaurant also serves several “bamboo steamer” specialties - vegetables and seafood selections steamed and served with the chef’s sauce.

Most menu items are in the $9 range, with the whole Peking duck at $21 (half a duck is $10.50). Lunch prices are about half those found on the dinner menu. There is a full service bar.

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. return to history menu . Omaha World Herald Friday, August 11, 1995 Dine Out By Jim Delmont Suburban Restaurant Offers Distinctive Chinese Cuisine Panda House, near 144th Street and West Center Road, is a larger, slightly more formal place, founded in 1991 by Johnnie Wu, who operated Hunan restaurants in Grand Island, Lincoln, and Omaha. It is a lovely place decorated in mauve and teal, with very comfortable booths along one wall. Chinese music is muted in the background. Panda House, with seating for about 140, offers more than 100 selections in the usual categories, with some emphasis on hot and spicy Szechuan offerings. A good place to browse on the menu is the 27 selection “House Specialties” section, where you can find Peking Duck, Panda Sizzling Delicacy, (shrimp, scallops, and beef in a clay dish). Neptune’s Basket (shrimp, sea scallops, and Alaskan Crab with snow peas, and other vegetables with a brown sauce in a crispy noodle basket), Lamb in Two Flavors (hot sauce and a delicate scallion sauce), Sizzling Steak Pot and Tangerine Chicken. The pan fried dumplings (a $3.25 appetizer) are meaty and spicy. The seafood tends to be fresh and tender. All sauces are carefully made and dishes have considerable individuality. On recent visits, we have enjoyed the Volcano Beef (sliced, coated with lotus flour, and served flaming with rum); several kinds of lamb - robust but tender; the Triple Delights with Garlic Sauce - a spicy concoction of scallops, shrimp, chicken, water chestnuts and mushrooms in a hot brown garlic sauce. A boned young roast duckling (“Golden Crispy Duck”) in a five-spice sauce with pine nuts is another interesting choice. There are the usual pork, chicken, beef and seafood entrees, plus Chow Mein and Lo Mein and a lot of appetizers, fried rice dishes, and soups. Panda House has a discriminating kitchen and is one of the city’s best Chinese eateries. The restaurant also serves several “bamboo steamer” specialties - vegetables and seafood selections steamed and served with the chef’s sauce. Most menu items are in the $9 range, with the whole Peking duck at $21 (half a duck is $10.50). Lunch prices are about half those found on the dinner menu. There is a full service bar. . return to history menu .