Panda Express Innovation Kitchen

It took almost a year from when Thrillist published their article about this Panda Express and their orange chicken burritos, but I finally managed to make a trip to the Innovation Kitchen! I did not realise it was in the same plaza as Marshall’s on Foothill near CVS/​Sears/​Whole Foods, or else I would have made the trek here a lot sooner! The plaza has plenty of parking so that is a complete non-​issue, and you can even get some shopping done before or after since it is so close to Marshalls and Home Goods.
So it turns out it’s not really an orange chicken BURRITO so much as it is a WRAP, or at least that’s what they call it. It comes with pickled cucumbers, crispy wontons, and fresh salad greens. Since it was my first time, I ordered it as is. But the salad greens were not good, so next time I am going to order it without them, and get rice instead. Or maybe chow mein! Because I can order whatever I want however I want because this is an INNOVATION KITCHEN! I love this concept: D
The restaurant is quite large with plenty of seating and there are just so many options here. I really like this place and I need to come back more often – why have I only been back once since this initial visit?! I need to go perfect the orange chicken wrap, my way ;)

I saw a picture and had to get myself there as soon as possible. I will now refer to this as The Wrap Of Goodness: half fried rice/​half chow mein with honey walnut shrimp. No extras. Just delicious. The restaurant itself was immaculate. Someone walking around cleaning the tables, and even floors, the entire time. Worth the drive.

This panda has options like burritos or salads ?!? and also has a tea bar with boba? why cant all pandas be like this. Aside from that the food tasted fresh and the restauarant is kept very clean, 5 stars

Not your everyday Panda Express. It’s like an Asian chipotle. My favorite is the honey walnut shrimp wrap. Just do it. You’ll thank me later.
The innovation kitchen puts a fresh twist to ordinary Chinese fast food. They even have the classic panda express dishes for those that aren’t feeling adventurous.
Oh let’s not forget the tea bar for all your boba needs. The tea quality was surprisingly great.
The manager there is awesome! He came by my table and asked us if we enjoyed our meal. One of my friends didn’t like her tea and he replaced it no questions asked.
What are you still doing reading this? Go check it out yourself!

I don’t go to Panda Express all that often to begin with, but I didn’t get any of the specialty items unique to this location. Got beef and broccoli with kung pao chicken. I did also get the beef noodle soup which isn’t like the beef noodle soups from Chinese restaurants. Guess it is the panda spin on it. I probably wouldn’t get it again. The tea bar drinks are pretty good, I usually get the panda milk tea which is an oolong milk tea. Their dining area is really cool though. Towards the back they have cushy seats where you can watch the TVs they have on the wall. It’s a cool place to sit and chill.
Parking: Tons of parking in the big plaza, it can get a little tricky with where to turn in for the most convenient entrance though.

Wow, so impressed at the open kitchen space, prompt service, and cleanliness. It’s reassuring to see the food you’re about to select being cooked in the wok and transferred to the front. Didn’t even know you could choose a scallion pancake or greens for the base! Though I still got the classic chow mein.
Even better: the Tea Bar! I didn’t order from them but if I’m ever around I would love to.

This Panda Express isn’t your typical Panda, it’s the only one of its kind! The things that make this Chinese fast food location so special is that they offer salad, burrito and rice variations of their entrees! Think chipotle style concept but with Asian food! I ordered the Honey walnut shrimp burrito wrap and it was huge! Another cool thing is that this lace also has a tea bar inside the same restaurant, that offers milk teas, boba drinks and more! They also have a baked goods display offering cakes and desserts from local bakery Flour + Tea! If you want a unique Panda Express experience, then come here!

Not sure what I was expecting when I walked in, but most of the entrée items are exactly the same as you would get a regular Panda Express (broccoli beef, green bean stir-​fry, orange chicken, honey walnut shrimp, etc).
The restaurant itself gives off a fast casual vibe and the employees are on point when it comes to customer service. The restaurant is very clean and spacious too.
The «innovation» comes from the scallion pancake burrito and salad bowl options that aren’t available any other PEs. Basically, you can get up to three entrée items stuffed into a burrito or layered on top of a salad. It also looks like they have a variety of quality soup selections available (which I didn’t order). It sounds a bit quirky since it sounds like a Mexican /​Chinese food hodgepodge, but the American Chinese food burrito was DELICIOUS!
I was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t as «innovative» as I imagined. I figured there would be a few more healthier options and maybe some more special «test kitchen» entrees I’ve never tried. Overall, I still had a great experience and the price was the same as any other PE. For the portion, price, and quirky experience, I would definitely recommend it!

Very cool idea, but basically it’s the same food unless you get the wrap (scallion pancakes). The flavor from the scallion pancakes is pretty bland so it just taste like a burrito wrap. I think it would work if the scallion pancakes were a bit thicker. Add an egg in it would be perfect!
This is probably the only PE I’ll ever eat at. It does get packed on the weekends for lunch.

Interesting twist on Panda express. They offer mostly the same foods just in different ways (wraps, salads, etc) They also have a tea bar that has boba! I thought that was pretty cool!
Service is not too bad, line moves pretty fast. However, I was rather disappointed today because i was trying to make a decision on which entrée i wanted. I was stuck between two different types of shrimp. When i made my selection, I chose «chefs creation» but was told it costs a dollar extra. I agreed but the lady scooping my «chefs creation» was purposely avoiding scooping the shrimp and filling my plate with just onions and bell peppers! I asked her to add the shrimp instead of all the onions and she told me she can only put 5 pieces of shrimp total. First of all, i didn’t even see 2 pieces of shrimp before she told me that. Second, I asked her why Im paying an extra dollar if Im barely even getting 5 pieces of shrimp and she responds «thats just how it is». UMM okay! lol Rude.
Food was good, but didn’t really feel valued as a customer.

They’re bringing Panda back
Some haughty Unilocalers don’t know how to act
I know it’s not authentic; that’s a fact
They innovate here and pick up the slack
Take me to the counter
I burrito pick
A moo shu wrap/​green onion pancake mix
With orange chicken and beef broccoli fix
And rice and won ton strips they make it quick
Take me to my table
Come here food
Eat quick soon gone with it
Get in my mouth
Eat quick soon gone with it
Oily sweet
Eat quick soon gone with it
Satisfying
Eat quick soon gone with it
Green tea I be slupin’ it
Drink quick soon gone with it
Passion fruit syrup mixed with it
Drink quick soon gone with it
You make me smile
Drink quick soon gone with it
I be full for a while
Drink quick soon gone with it
Get your Panda on
Get your Panda on
Get your Panda on
Get your Panda on
Next month to Panda back
I want burrito now and that’s a fact
But different entrees here I want to stack
Brown rice and sautéed veggies first they stack
Take me to the entrees
Chicken stir fry
Shiitake mushrooms mixed in that’s so fly
In my burrito I did try
This second one’s a better buy
Take me to my table
Come here food
Eat quick soon gone with it
Get in my mouth
Eat quick soon gone with it
Umami treat
Eat quick soon gone with it
Satisfying
Eat quick soon gone with it
Green tea I be slupin’ it
Drink quick soon gone with it
Passion fruit syrup mixed with it
Drink quick soon gone with it
You make me smile
Drink quick soon gone with it
I be full for a while
Drink quick soon gone with it
Get your Panda on
Get your Panda on
Get your Panda on
Get your Panda on

Look. It’s a Panda Express with some extra options. Is it worth the drive for me to come here for the extras? No. If I’m in the area would I come
back, if I want Panda Express sure I’ll stop by.
Overall it’s run like a regular Panda but it’s definitely a slightly different concept. The décor is already different and they have a separate tea house within so you could get some Boba if you want.
So you can get the regular one item, two item or three item combos. You can still get that orange chicken and almost everything else you can get at a regular Panda but they have an option to get a salad instead of rice or make it a wrap with a scallion pancake. I love scallion pancakes so I one of the wrappers as a side to go with my regular the item combo. Honestly it was more like a tortilla with green onions not a true scallion pancake so I was a bit bummed. But with your meal you also get special sauces and toppings at no extra cost. I got some of the pickled cucumbers with my two item combo. They were a great vinegary brightness and crunch added to my meal. They were definitely a quick pickle not quite kosher dill yet.

I came here looking for the orange chicken burrito that everyone said you have to have. I was a little disappointed but this is still a cool idea.
So basically it’s a Panda Express where you can still get your typical dishes that are at all the other restaurants, but you can also make new items like wraps and salads. I got a wrap, which I kept calling a burrito because, well, it is. So you move down the line in the same way that you do at a regular Panda Express and you tell them what you want in your wrap/​on your salad. I got orange chicken and added rice as well as lettuce and a few other items that I can’t remember.
Honestly, it wasn’t that great. Maybe it was too many different flavors in one wrap and it didn’t taste right, but I wouldn’t get it again. This is still a great Panda Express since they have all the typical items that they normally have, but I wouldn’t come here for the wrap or salad.

Foe being panda express it was really a lot better than I thought it would be and I think all locations should add this twist to their menu to freshen up their vibe and attract customers again. Not a fan of their food usually, I likes that you could build a salad or scallion burrito both were very good. My son kept it simple with orange chicken and rice, a fair portion for around$ 6. I had the two veggie options, the stir fry and green beans which were good but I wish the food was hotter. The veggie egg rolls and won tons were great. Not a fan of the chicken egg roll though. Love that they offer teas as well as lemonases, my husband had the pomegranate and I had the raspberry, both were amazing and we’ll worth getting again. I wish they had more veggie options and the quality isn’t stellar, but it was a fun change and worth trying!

The fanciest and cleanest Panda Express I’ve ever been to!
They have the regular options plus new items such as wraps and salads. The quality of the food looks much better here too, like it keeps getting replenished and nothing sits out too long. I also like how they have a «Chef’s Special» dish — definitely a good sign for innovation. This time, it was spicy shrimp with veggies.
Their 2 item combo portion looks a bit smaller than usual, but their wrap is HUGE. Think Chipotle burrito with all the fixings. I drove all the way to Pasadena, so of course I had to order their specialty wrap with a «tortilla» that’s actually a scallion pancake. I filled mine with fried rice, mushroom chicken, and broccoli beef. Some cons: it’s messy to eat and there’s too many competing flavors in one bite. They give you the option to add different sauces and that doesn’t help either, although I did very much enjoyed the green onion sauce on the side. I was pretty full eating half a burrito, but didn’t want to take home the rest since it got soggy fast.
Verdict: I’ll probably stick to the regular Panda Express for now, but I do wish all other Panda Expresses followed this model. The space has couches in front of flat screen TVs, so it’s definitely more comfortable and less fast-​food like. They also have a tea bar with cakes and other desserts. I saw lots of families with kids here and it’s a great place for friends to hang out too!

Panda Express as a burrito in a scallion pancake wrap?! GIMM’ME! Being Chinese, I think the scallion pancake as a wrap is genius. It gives or should give an extra taste to the «tortilla» but Panda is Panda and it is always packed with flavors. Speaking of which, you can add their selection of sauces and crispies to add even more flavor and texture to your customized burrito. Besides the burrito, you have the healthier option of eating Panda as a salad (why would you do that?) which I think might be tasty too depending on how you build it. You can also order in a tray as you normally would get at any other Panda Express locations. (Again, why would you do that?)
In my first recent visit, I had the scallion wrap with chow mein and two main dishes: the Chef’s selection which contained a spicy shrimp and string beans, and the veggie option of string beans. Don’t mind doubling up on string beans! Then I added the green onion sauce, which should have been ordered on the side not in the burrito as it is mixed in oil, that added the onion and ginger flavors to my burrito. I also added their dry toppings like dried shallots and crispy wonton skin just to add a little crunch. I did not get their red chili sambal sauce but I tried it in my bf’s burrito and it was pretty spicy! My burrito was very tasty and I’m glad is has more Asian flavor to it than at the regular Panda Express restaurants.
Just a side note though, I had saved part of my burrito in a take out brown bag they gave me and within a few hours later, there was a huge blotch of oil on the bottom of the bag. I’m sure it was from the green onion sauce that leaked through the foil. Panda is known to be oily which is one of the reasons why I only give in to dine every once in a blue moon but this Innovation Kitchen might be an exception… Plus, I want to come back to try more of their Tea Bar that serves a good variety of teas, milk teas (with boba), and cakes.
See you again soon Panda!

Fancy Schmancy Panda Express
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
I remember back in the late 80’s and 90’s, Panda Express sucked ass even for americanized chinese food. But I am wholeheartedly a fan now! Man have they improved in the past decade! The veggies are crisper, fresher, and better seasoned. The entrees are more diverse and generally higher quality in general. And that Panda red sauce! I prefer it over Sriracha. The service is much better. The time from wok to plate is substantially shorter.
A couple of words on this particular Panda Express. This Is some serious gourmet sh*t for fast food Chinese! This is one of the cleanest restaurants I’ve ever been to. There is an employee constantly wiping down or sweeping. They got lounge chairs and wide screen TVs. Also they have free Papaya salad as a side dish! I love that.
I love this place!

I’ve been procrastinating on coming here thinking that it was the same fast food chain that I often visited during my college days. Boy… I was in for a rude awakening when I stepped inside. Definitely, not your typical fast food chain.
First of all, their dining room is beautiful and spacious. All the modern amenities and charm amplified throughout — cool light fixtures, eclectic décor and high tech soda dispenser. An assortment of seating options, including a cozy lounge area equipped with several flat screen TVs. There’s even a tea and boba bar section that serves desserts.
Yes, they still have your classic orange chicken and Beijing beef, but now you can get that as a burrito wrap (scallion pancake) or on a salad. I ordered the orange chicken and daily special chef creation (spicy stir fried shrimp /​w vegetable) with brown rice and salad. Everything looked beautifully presented, fresh and tasted fantastic. Loved the free gourmet sauces and toppings that were provided. Their wonton chips, papaya slaw and picked cucumber were a nice compliment to my meal.
I can get use to coming here regularly. Prices affordable, good value and perfect for lunch. Friendly and helpful service too. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

Located in the same plaza with Sears and Marshalls, my mom and I came by here for lunch around 12:45 pm on Black Friday. This being our first time, we took some time to decide what we wanted (when there are too many choices or if the ordering process is different from the norm, it just complicated things and takes time to process). Anyways, we ended up getting:
Chicken Salad (small item, $ 5.80 prior to tax) — Being the health nut of the family, I opted for the salad with chicken. The salad was made with the cheap iceberg lettuce unfortunately but also some Romaine and sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. I thought the amount of chicken I got was pretty generous but the employee who cut it for me gave me more than 1 piece since the 1^st piece she picked up was on the small side. As my tray was going down the line, I added some fried garlic and picked this cilantro dressing (requested it to be on the side). The dressing was really good and reminded me of the sauce that you get when you order Hainan chicken. But the dressing was a little on the salty side though. Overall, thought the size of this salad was excellent for one person and fair for the price. I would probably order this again.
2 Item Entrée (fried rice, chop suey, kung pao chicken), $ 7 prior to tax– My mom wanted fried rice and opted for that instead of chow mein or white rice. The portion size of her meal was pretty big and good enough for 1.5 people, so I had some. Both my mom and I agreed that the fried rice was nice because it was not greasy or oily (a rarity in a Chinese restaurant). I thought her chicken was good, as it was tender and meaty. I thought the chop suey were just okay, but wished there was a little less sauce on them. Overall, her entrée choice was good and wouldn’t mind eating it again.
— — — — — — — — -
(Total= $ 13.95 after tax)
This eatery has a good number of tables and chairs. I thought the service was pretty quick, but it definitely started to get a bit busier a little after we had ordered and when we first came in, there was only 25% of the seats available.
Now with Panda Express providing Americanized food, I think this place is pretty good for what it is (but of course compared to the authentic thing, there’s no contest to who is the top contender). I would come back here again and try some of their other items (like their wrap or one of their drinks).
By the way, the ladies’ restroom upon this visit was clean and there is also free WiFi here.

I never thought I’d be giving Panda Express five stars, but their innovation kitchen is pretty worthy of five stars! Although, i only tried the tea bar section so I cannot speak for the food.
Their drinks are named «fruit infusers» but they are really regular teas like at asian cafes. However, the tea infusers have chunks of the fruit floating inside. The grapefruit green tea and mango green tea are amazing! I also tried the thai tea with pudding. It wasn’t too sweet and the pudding was perfect.