Review: Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket

I go to Panda Express regularly, especially when the Dodgers win a home game. What do I usually get? Orange Chicken. It's packed with flavor, has a great texture, and very filling. 

I generally don't vary my order much but I decided to try the new Brisket item. While I generally don't eat that much beef, I make an occasional exception when it comes to brisket. I've never gotten excited for cuts of steak the way I do for brisket. There's something about a slow cooked and smoked piece of beef that really appeals to me. In my opinion the best ones fall apart very easily and have a good balance of fat.

Brisket comes in many shapes and forms. I particularly love the Texas BBQ style but we can't forget about other styles like the Jewish Ashkenazi dish.

Panda Express's spin claims set some boundaries right away using by naming this a Cantonese item. 

I will be avoiding the temptation to discuss whether this dish is authentic. I can only tell you that I enjoyed it quite a bit. There portion of pieces was generous (much more than any dish I've ever had at places that market themselves as BBQ focused like Lucille's).

The beef was tender and well sauced up. I order greens for my side so having a little extra sauce to season my kale/cabbage is not a problem but you might find this item a bit overwhelming if you had other side items like Chow Mein. I don't think there's any reason you would need to add soy sauce or any other condiment. You COULD add some chili sauce if you're really unable to enjoy foods that aren't spicy.

The flavor of the brisket feels like it is perfect for the Panda Express crowd. You get some American tang but also a little heat from Asian spices.

Visually, the brisket has a good amount of character. It carries some darkness around the edges which reflects a BBQ style cooking versus a longer braise method. A few pieces were a little drier but still had tons of flavor.

I'm not sure what level of work is involved to make the brisket but it does bump up your bill reasonably. If you get a two item combo and only get brisket for your main item, expect to pay similar to what I did ($3.90). I'm not sure when I'll get Panda again as there won't be any home games for awhile but I have zero regrets on trying their Cantonese BBQ Brisket.

I don't know if this should be a permanent item or if it carries the spirit of a limited regular item like the McRib. Panda Express seems to be doing just fine a week ago when it didn't have the Cantonese Brisket and I'm confident they'll be fine if they decide to end its run.

Receipt:

For reference, here's a promo video from Panda Express: