The Panda Restaurant

There are quite a few Chinese restaurants in Benalmadena. Most of them seem to do fairly well. The Panda restaurant is one. We have been to the restaurant a few times in the past. The staff were pleasant, and their food was all right. But their selling point is that they have a nice courtyard. It is very pleasant to dine out in the courtyard, and most people like to do that.

They were rather busy when we went there the other night. The tables in the courtyard were all taken up except for one. So, we took that. Most of the diners were tourists. Tourists dine early, whereas the locals dine late. If we go to a local Spanish restaurant, we are usually the first to arrive. Sometimes, the restaurant was still in the process of opening up.

As far as food goes, the Panda’s menu is quite similar to those of the other Chinese restaurants. It makes me wonder if the restaurants are owned by the same person. Or, maybe the chefs went to the same Chinese catering school.

We had roast duck the other night. We had that before and we liked it. It was still nice. We tried their pork with mushroom and bamboo shoots. That was all right except that I found it too salty and starchy. The other dish is mixed vegetables chop suey. Basically, a mixture of onions, carrots, bean sprouts and green pepper. Nothing special. In fact, it was also very starchy. Of course, we had some fried rice to go with the dishes.

The cooking methods for the dishes are the same – different meat but same sauce, or different vegetables but same sauce. And it goes for all the other Chinese restaurants, which is the reason why I suspect that the chefs all go to the same catering school.

Anyway, I suspect the food is catered to the local taste. Still, they are all right and good as an alternative to the western restaurants.

Chinese restaurants serve a side dish of prawn crackers.

Tables in the courtyard were all taken up when we arrived.

Roast duck.

Fried pork with mushrooms and Chinese bamboo shoots.

Mixed vegetables chop suey.

Fried rice. They called it the three-delicious fried rice. I think it refers to the ingredients - ham, egg and carrots.