The Lunch Break - Cantonese BBQ Brisket at Panda Express

Panda Express has always lived in a weird bubble for me: what is the key differentiator between Americanized Chinese restaurants and a fast food version of an Americanized Chinese restaurant? Consistency in quality and price, sure. Brand associations. I know some people would die on the sword for Panda Express’s orange chicken dish.

But in a town of even medium size there’s probably a dozen Chinese restaurants that are a stone’s throw away from a Panda Express location. It is, by my estimation, a highly commoditized cuisine choice. The playbook is admittedly paint by numbers at most of those restaurants, but they offer similar conveniences on speed and price—well, less so on price these days: the economy, am I right? And yet when you come through the doors of a Panda Express, the woks are alive with the sound of sizzling!

I don’t typically find myself at Panda Express too often; I have my spots I have near-unconditional loyalty towards (I shudder to think what they’d say if they saw me in the Panda Express queue, forsaking them. I’m not above donning a disguise). But on this occasion I was there to try a new premium item: the Cantonese BBQ brisket.

New items at Panda Express aren’t exactly common. They have their mainstays, and new recipes if anything are typically slight variations on existing products. So I was intrigued when I saw a completely different protein option.

I ordered a Plate which comes with two entrees and a side. The extra entree was my parachute if the brisket was bad. Ol’ reliable Broccoli Beef, which is a favorite of mine that also has the added benefit of being one of the calorically least expensive items on the menu.

Note: the Broccoli Beef and the super greens as a side make for a truly incredible lunch option for anyone watching their waistline (I make no comments about the sodium content, so buyer beware). A Plate of 2x Broccoli Beef and super greens would be about 40g protein and 430 cals.

But anyway, we’re here for the Cantonese BBQ Brisket. I watched the lady scoop up the last serving of the brisket on to my plate, emotionally detached from the face I made as a wave of memories of Arby’s steak nuggets came crashing over me. For more on that, click here. An uphill battle for the Cantonese BBQ brisket that I’m getting served the dregs of an already pretty volatile meat option.

I sit down at a table to dig into what I’m sure is about to be the driest brisket I’ve ever had in my life. Rip cord ready in hand to eject at the first sign of trouble. Readers, for shame I judged this book by its cover. It was perfect! Glistening in its smoky-sweet char siu glaze, the cook was beautiful. Streaks of red with a deep black bark.

It was a wonderfully balanced bite of unctuous fattiness with the moist, tender full flavor of the brisket. I won’t go so far as to say it melted in my mouth but for a fast food brisket dish, it was pretty darn close. The bite was springy and flavorful and the sauce gave a perfect hint of heat in the backnotes to liven up the experience. My only complaint is that I wish I had more. The Broccoli Beef was a bland consolation prize after I had tore throw my meager portion of the brisket.

It’s not a cheap dish but as an add-on with the Plate it was only a few extra dollars, which felt reasonable. I could see myself committing to a double portion of it in the future (if it sticks around long enough for me to cheat on my other Chinese restaurants again).

For now, I have to say: the Cantonese BBQ brisket at Panda Express is Lunch Break approved.

Restaurant: Panda Express

Item: Cantonese BBQ Brisket

Verdict: Lunch Break Approved