When it comes to Chinese food, it’s difficult to pinpoint that perfect place to indulge the ever-familiar cravings for saucy, savory, noodle-y goodness. Chinese food—while its very mention tends to give most of us the warm tinglies—is not all created equal.
Some of the places renowned for their curb appeal lack the ability to satiate with good flavor. Quite a few establishments blaspheme the sanctity of the experience by inundating everything with generic brown sauce, too much salt, and an excess of grease.
It doesn’t matter where you’re from: Chinese food on a paper plate, buffet-style, or eaten out of those signature folded boxes tends to elicit an innate sense of satisfaction. In Columbia, we’re given an abundance of choices when it comes to great Chinese.
My personal favorite has to go to the Little Panda restaurant on Forest Drive. This take-out or dine-in eatery has my vote because the focus is solely on the food.
It’s in a plaza next to several other options—including a large Chinese buffet restaurant—but it stands strong because the portions are generous (often two meals’ worth of food), and the preparation is clean.
To start, I really enjoy the clarity of their featured specials. There is a small whiteboard at the cashier’s station showing the daily bargains, all a steal at just $5.95 (click the picture above to expand). All of the specials come with fried or white rice, and an egg roll or sweet tea.
What the Little Panda lacks in décor, they truly make up on taste. My moo goo gai pan (chicken and mushrooms in light sauce) features plenty of tender mushrooms offset by celery, carrots and sweet snap peas, all with a satisfyingly crisp bite.
The Bourbon chicken is also an excellent choice as the meat is coated exactly as it should be, and not overly sweet.
The standard lunch and dinner menu features all the favorites to which you are accustomed: mixed vegetables, noodle dishes, meats and seafood delicately coated rather than overwhelmed by smooth sauces.
What sets this place apart for me is that my piping hot eggrolls are crisp and never taste of lard, the fried rice does not have the essence of having sat in a sauna-like dish for hours, and MSG is not used in any of the dishes.
Little Panda may not provide you with remarkable atmosphere, but it will fill your belly happily. It also takes the guesswork out of finding a spot that meets your expectations without the oil overkill and preservatives this style of cooking can be infamous for.
Order from the Little Panda and be pleasantly and consistently surprised by the caliber of food produced in an understated little kitchen.
Little Panda is open seven days a week. Get your orders even faster by calling ahead at (803) 790-5433 or (803) 790-5435.
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