Out to Lunch: Panda Express Review

Sunday was AnneMarie's pick for our weekly Out to Lunch ritual. Rules found here. Being of an intuitive nature, she picked Panda Express without even knowing it was Chinese New Year! Score for incorporating cultural awareness, because nothing comes closer to authentic street-vendored "crispy-squid" from a stall in Hong Kong like Panda Express's crab rangoon. Which doesn't contain crab and isn't from rangoon. Nevertheless, the Family Es does love chops sticks and fortune cookies. So there.

dad orders for all, that's authentic Chinese

Panda Express, for fast food with many hungry mouths, is actually pretty easy for us. Obi always gets the Family Feast, which comes with three large entrees and two sides. Plenty. The kids have the culinary sophistication of earth worms (garbage is their favorite) so two of those large entrees are orange chicken. The third varies, but this week we chose the mushroom chicken: delicious, low in calories, high in protein. For sides we get a cartoon of noodles and a cartoon of mixed vegetables. The kids eat all the noodles, Obi and I eat all the veggies. Win, win!

tevas and socks, seriously?

Yes, it is indeed hard to seat all of us at a fast food joint, and yes, we do stick out like a sore thumb. A sore thumb with a mama thumb and six little baby thumbs. Yes, people always look at us, people always ask us what's up with us, but guess what? People are usually nice. They usually tell us what good looking kids we have, how young we look, how lucky we are. And we always agree. Culture of life. 

This particular week we sat at four outdoor tables. Two at each. Lots of musical chairs depending on who was annoying whom. Obi and I ignore it all because we are good parents. 

are you really taking a picture of me with food in my mouth? 

Over all? Eight thumbs up. Best fortune on a fortune cookie award goes to Isaac this round: "adventure awaits just around the corner." 

No doubt.