The Panda Inn in Pasadena is fully booked for the weekend after reopening Friday, Nov. 16 . It is the flagship restaurant of the Panda Restaurant Group, the Rosemead-based company behind four full-service Panda Inns in Southern California and more than 2,500 Panda Express quick-service restaurants throughout the United States and abroad.
It originally opened in 1973 and closed in 2023 for a two-year makeover that transformed it inside and out. “The hope is that this building tells the story of family, and this building tells the story of an immigrant journey and this building tells the story of an American dream,” said Andrea Cherng, chief brand officer for the company and daughter of co-founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng. It features a new patio, new private dining rooms, an exposed sushi bar and artwork throughout that tells the Cherngs’ immigrant journey from China to Southern California.
The kitchen is headed by three chefs from Yangzhou, a city in China where the Cherngs came from. The menu celebrates the family’s culinary roots, drawing inspiration from Yangzhou, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States, according to Andrea Cherng. “For those who have been coming for the last 50 years, you can still find your favorites here.
But we also hope that it’s a place where people can discover something new. We hope that there are enough easter eggs tucked into the various parts of the restaurant that people are in a space of discovery as well as comfort.” Signature dish.
