Panda Express has begun testing a new dish called Spicy Wagyu Beef Dumplings.
They will be available through June 1 at the Panda Express Innovation Kitchen in Hastings Ranch Plaza, 3867 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, according to a news release.
The dumplings are served in portions of five and envisioned as an entree, according to according to Adrian Lok, senior culinary innovation manager for the Rosemead-based chain.
“At least in the U.S., dumplings are seen more as an appetizer and a side in a number of restaurants. The idea was, how do we make dumplings front and center.”
The dish was in development for about nine months, he said in a phone interview.
“We’ve been playing around with the idea of how can we feature something premium that can also be accessible.”
Wagyu is high-end beef from cattle bred in Japan. Panda Express is using American Wagyu, which comes from crossbreeding Japanese cattle in the United States. Both kinds of beef are prized for their marbling, tenderness and texture.
The dumplings are filled with Wagyu and a traditional mixture of such ingredients as cabbage, green onions and aromatics like ginger and garlic, Lok said. They are wok-tossed with kale and onions in a sweet and spicy sauce Panda’s chefs made using a Zhong sauce from a Szechuan-style condiments company called Fly By Jing.
“They’re an Asian-American brand like us,” Lok said. “We share similar missions of spreading Chinese flavors to a broader audience.”
The dumplings sold out on the first day at the Innovation Kitchen, which Lok said is the first stage of restaurant testing after dishes are created at Rosemead headquarters.
Dishes that succeed there go on to expanded testing in other Panda Express locations.
Success stories from the Innovation Kitchen include Black Pepper Angus Steak and Super Greens, both of which are on the main menu, Lok said.
Information: pandaexpress.com/innovation
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