Green Panda

My family loved Jade Café and had their take-​out once or twice a month. The change to Green Panda is such a disappointment. Mushy food, bland taste, deteriorating quality, and still pricey. Didn’t mind paying a little more when the food was so delicious, but I think we will have to keep looking for another take-​out with better food.

~70 bucks in carry out; one entrée had a huge problem: The $ 17.95 Neptune Delight. The crab and shrimp had a very strong very bad fishy odor, mushy texture, and a horrible taste. Unedible. All of it was promptly thrown in the garbage. We eat a lot of fish & know the difference between a good fish smell and a bad fish smell. Also, the texture of cooked seafood should never be mushy.
Called the restaurant: they apologized, offered a credit to our next visit.
The rest of the order was eaten, except for one of the egg rolls. It came free with the order & was worth every penny we paid.

What a find!
It was a rainy night and Hubby and I wanted something easy peasy. It was a saturday and we hadn’t made reservations anywhere (what was I thinking???). We used to go to Jade Café (hadn’t been back in almost a decade) but we never tried this place since it changed owners.
There are actually two venues:
1. The Bar where you can get «pub food» or order from the Green Panda menu
2. The Green Panda Restaurant.
We sat in/​at the bar. It was dark and cozy. Perfect for a rainy night.
I got an Angry Panda. Spicy and great. Hubby got a manhattan. He really liked the way this bartender made it. All of our food was from the Green Panda menu.
Pot Stickers: They dough is thick and chewy. I liked them… but know that’s what you get. It’s not like the light crisp ones you get at some other places.
I had hot and sour soup and hubby had egg drop. Both were ample portions and come with the entrees. Mine was tasty, but they need to add more stuff in it… like more bits of tofu (I didn’t find any) or pork. Hubby loved his egg drop. It looked thick and rich.
I had singapore noodles and hubby had orange chicken. Both dishes were GREAT! My noodles had a mild curry flavor. I added a bit of heat and it was just right for me. So good, I am dreaming about it. Hubby’s orange chicken could have had more orange flavor, but it was still crisp and flavorful.
The owner came over and chatted with us. He is a nice man and really is trying some new fun things with the bar. In November, there will be live music on Fridays.
He gave us a complimentary «gooey butter cake». I couldn’t resist. It was delicious. They serve it heated in the microwave, so make sure you don’t burn your tongue. I didn’t mind a little pain for something this good…

Walking around downtown Highland Park on a Friday night… What to eat? Hmmmm something smells good. What is that? Oh it’s the next generation Chinese Restaurant at the corner of Elm Place and Second St. Green Panda. Let’s give it a try!
Though the smells lured us in, the food was only okay. Might have been what we chose. I might be willing to give it another try sometime. We ordered the Pepper steak tomato and the shrimp in lobster sauce. Both were extremely bland. Maybe something from the Schezaun category next time.
The Panda Bar next door is a different restaurant with a different menu and vibe. Don’t confuse the two.

Best Chinese food we have ever had! Pad Tai, Lettuce Wraps, Mongolian Trio. Delicious and Panda Bar right next door is where we ate. Excellent bar that serves Green Panda’s menu plus delicious bar food — can’t miss with double menus and full bar with big screens. Watching the Cubs!

I went there 2 weeks ago for lunch. It was so yummy. I ordered lamb stir fry. it was so good.
I will definitely go there to try other dishes:)

I once had Chinese food in Gallop, NM, that was worse than this, but they are far from a Chinatown. This successor to Jade is a poor replacement to a restaurant with above average Chinese food. True the prices have been lowered but so has the quality of the food. I had pork egg foo young with almost no pork. I had egg rolls that were supposed to have shrimp and chicken and had none.
The young girl who takes the orders was delightful and charming. The food was terrible given the fact that this is Highland Park, where standards of food and service are very high. I, for one, do not care about cheaper prices. I just want decent food.

Decent food… the menu isn’t the same as it is online here. There is a lot missing. I would highly recommend just getting take out because the service is horrible. We couldn’t even take a bite from our plate without the waiter constantly being behind us watching our every move, and then after the bill was delivered they just stood over you watching, I couldn’t even finish my drink in peace. Never going back there.

I was drawn in by the Gluten Free advertising. They really don’t offer gluten free unless you want to choose between 2 items that don’t require soy sauce or any flavoring. They couldn’t even provide gluten free spy sauce. To me that’s completely disingenuous when you market yourself to gluten free but simply limit the choices to basically 3 things without seasoning.
Would not go back until they get serious.

Sesame Noodle appetizer was the worst I have ever had. The entrees were average tasting and more expensive than advertised on flyer. Service was horribly slow (and not overly busy).

I am a huge fan of Green Panda and their food. I have had it delivered and also dined inside the restaurant and both times were stellar experiences. Both times I ordered the crab rangoon and they were absolute perfection. They were a good size but not too heavy, the perfect way to start out a meal. My husband got the pot stickers the second time we went and he said they were very tasty.
Both times I ordered the Pepper Steak Tomato dish, the ingredients were right up my alley and so I figured it would be worth a try. It is absolutely divine! The black bean sauce that it marinates in gives it so much flavor and really brings out the flavor of the peppers. The steak is tender and well seasoned as well. It is a great combination of textures and flavor, I highly recommend it.
My husband ordered the Honey Walnut Shrimp the first time and said it was incredible and a great combination of sweet and salty. I agreed. The second time he ordered the Governor’s Chicken and said it’s his new favorite food. It is spicy though (too spicy for me), so those of you who can’t take the heat better stay away from the Governor’s Chicken.
Overall, I really like this place. The prices are fair and the food is incredible. I prefer eating in rather than getting it delivered because the restaurant is very beautiful. I would argue it’s the best Chinese food in Highland Park. Maybe even the entire North Shore!