Pasadena’s Panda Inn Temporarily Closed With Massive Revamp Underway - Eater LA
"Pasadena’s 50-year-old Panda Inn quietly closed its doors in January and plans to reopen later this year with a refreshed interior and updated menu. The longtime restaurant was opened by Panda Express founder Andrew Cherng, along with his father chef Ming-Tsai Cherng, in 1973 and was last renovated two decades ago, says Gigi Cheung, vice president of Panda Inn. While the exact date for the reopening hasn’t been announced, Cheung says that diners can expect a more contemporary and elegant dining room complete with Chinese accents. “One of my favorite updates is the garden with an indoor/outdoor-style patio seating area,” she says. On the food front, Panda Inn will keep approximately 60 percent of its original menu and add dim sum, “elevated” desserts, and “twists on classics” like a short rib char siu and Hong Kong-style french toast. While Panda Inn in Pasadena is under construction, the restaurant’s other locations in Glendale, La Palma, and Ontario are still open for business." - Cathy Chaplin
