The Panda House Cafe
A new Linda Vista restaurant
New Restaurant in Linda Vista
An article on the internet recently asked the question…Why is America so obsessed with Thai Street Food? The article went on to explain that Americans associate Thai Street Food with a sense of adventure. We are happy to say that Linda Vistonians can now more easily fulfill their desire for adventure, courtesy of a new restaurant that opened up in downtown LV. Our intrepid team of food reviewers paid a visit to the Panda House Café to get a sample of Thai Street Food. Read ahead to see what they found.
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Are you in the mood for something a little different? Looking for adventure, now that you can’t travel to far off places, or even near off places? Ever wonder why there aren’t many dessert items on Asian restaurant menus? Are you thirsty for a refreshing sip of Boba? Well, there is a new little restaurant on Ulric Street which just might check all these boxes. It is called Panda House Café, located between the Old Bank of America Building and the corner of Ulric and Linda Vista Road. The board in front of the building says “Thai Style Street Food.” Accordingly, in search of a little adventure, our hungry party of three decided to give the Panda House Cafe a try the other day for lunch.
Parking is a little tricky but we were able to find parking behind the restaurant. Don’t park in the health center parking lot or you may risk getting towed. You could park on the other side of the street near the massage parlor or in the shopping center lot.
Crepe Menu
Right now, the restaurant is only open for take-out or outside dining. It is a small, very clean restaurant, very suitable for inside dining when that opportunity is again available. The menu is small but evolving, we were told. Since two of us do not eat meat, our selections were limited to dessert items such as sweet crepes, of which they have many kinds including Nutella and banana, almond. We tried the almond crepes, which tasted delicious. We also tried Crispi Thai style Roti, which was crispy sweet flatbread made with sweetened condensed milk, at a price of $3.50. Both items we ordered were excellent, not too sweet, but very fresh tasting.
Meat Eater Items
One member of our party is a meat eater and he opted for the Pork Shumai and pork and lemongrass sausage. Although we didn’t taste them, they looked great and our carnivore attested to the fact that they were delicious and almost as good as his mom’s (smart boy). There were a number of other menu items which contained meat such as shredded pork and chili paste crepes, sausage and cheese, bacon and cheese, and ham and sausage and cheese crepes, as well as sweet and spicy chicken wings, all in the $7 range.
Drink menu
They had a great selection of drinks including milk tea, Thai tea, pinky milk, strawberry soda and more. One of us opted for Boba which was very refreshing. Prices for drinks were in the 3 to 5 dollar range.
Friendly counter service
We ate on the small outside patio area (socially distanced, of course), although most customers opted for carryout. The service was excellent and the staff proved very friendly and accommodating to people who weren’t familiar with many of the items on the menu. As we sat outside the Panda House Café, we imagined ourselves sitting on an exotic Bangkok street (until a big, noisy City of San Diego dump truck eventually drove by and spoiled the mood).
Crispi Thai Style Roti
We were told the restaurant has been there a couple months or so. We hope you will try it during these business-challenging times and help make it a success.
Panda House Café
2379 Ulric Street
San Diego 92111
619-991-5533
Hours:
10:30 AM – 9:00 PM every day
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