Local Review, The Chinese Food Edition: Channing Restaurant vs. Panda Garden
Old favourite or new arrival? A local review of Channing Chinese Restaurant and Panda Garden explores downtown Owen Sound’s go-to spots for Chinese takeout.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
If you are looking for Chinese food in downtown Owen Sound, you currently have two choices: Channing Chinese Restaurant, a fixture at the corner of 10th Street and Second Avenue East since 1988, and the relative newcomer, Panda Garden, part of a small southern Ontario chain.
Bear in mind that you will find what’s known as Canadian Chinese food, that is, dishes that have been familiar to southern Ontario diners for decades but may not resemble what you find in China or Taiwan.
The menus for both establishments are vast and very similar, reflecting what diners have come to expect after years of choosing a Chinese meal or takeout. Knowing what to expect and seeing favourites on the menu is part of the appeal of this type of eatery. This makes it easy to compare them — in fact, my companion and I ordered similar dishes on our recent visits for evaluation.
Beef and vegetables in curry sauce typically come with peppers, onions and tender beef. Both served similar variations, but the Channing version came with large pieces of very undercooked broccoli, which I couldn’t even cut smaller because the table service included only a fork. In the Panda Garden dish, the peppers were cut large, but cooked to a nice crunch, and the table service came with a knife.
Both restaurants do spring rolls well — crunchy and hot — and their noodle dishes are comparable. At Channing, the server asks what level of spiciness you prefer, whereas at Panda Garden, the menu just indicates a spice level, which turned out to be just right for me.
Panda Garden has the advantage of a fresh, appealing decor from the previous restaurant occupying the space, whereas Channing has the tired, retro look of the 1980s — not time-worn, but distinctly boring.
Service at Channing was adequate but slow, even on a day with very few diners. At Panda Garden, we were greeted cheerfully and served promptly. Our server even stopped to properly repack our take-home items that we had bagged ineffectively.
Old reliable or new kid in town? You decide. I know where I’ll be going back to eat.
Channing Chinese Restaurant is located at 1002 Second Ave East, Owen Sound. You can reach them at 519-376-0718. They are open Tuesday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Channing is closed Monday.
Panda Garden is located at 229 9th St East, Owen Sound. Their phone number is 519-371-6555. They are open seven days a week, from Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Both restaurants are fully licensed and offer take-out. Neither is wheelchair accessible.
Thank you to sponsors of The Owen Sound Current Writers’ Fund, who make these community contributions possible. Contributions from the community do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.
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