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| - Two friends and I dined at Ping Pang Pong this week for dinner, and our expectations could not have been higher. I lived in China briefly and one of my accompanying friends is from the Philippines and her mother makes incredible Asian cuisine. So, when we heard that PPP was one of the most authentic and well-received Chinese restaurants in America, we couldn't wait to try it.
Immediately, I was pleased with our server, who noticed we were ordering things without meat and asked if we were vegetarians. We said yes, and she informed us that many of the items were cooked with chicken broth, but said she'd ensure it wasn't used in our dishes. Unfortunately, we concluded that the chicken broth must be Ping Pang Pong's top secret ingredient, because we were rather disappointed in our food! It pains me to say I've had better tasting meals at Panda Express.
Here's what we ordered and my thoughts on it:
-Wrinkled Green Beans: Bland, but nothing a little extra hot sauce couldn't fix.
-Ma Po Tofu: Good seasoning but we would have preferred a firmer tofu over the squishy one.
-Sautéed Lotus Root: The fact it was described as "pungent" on the menu should have been a red flag. It was too crunchy and the taste of vinegar was over-whelming.
-Shanghai Noodles: We got it without the pork, and it was basically oily ramen. Big portions a plus, though.
-Rice: Dried out and hard!
-Iced Chrysanthemum tea: It was akin to drinking potted plant water.
-Fresh Coconut Juice: It was on the menu, but apparently not available. I hate it when that happens.
Ultimately, I was disappointed with Ping Pang Pong and don't plan on returning. Another patron might have better luck ordering Dim Sum or a meat dish, as apparently both have been praised. However, I'll stick to other establishments/fly to China the next time I want authentic noodles/have my friend's mom cook for me! :D
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