• 3
• May as well try it before they close.

As an out of state visiting Vegan newbie to Richmond, my friend took me to "Panda Veg" 2 years ago. I was blown away. I had never tasted mock beef quite so delicious. The following year I returned and had the shrimp...eh, not so great. But the texture was amazing, I didn't know you could make something that wasn't shrimp feel so much like shrimp. One year later (today), I returned to the restaurant, only to be informed that it had changed it's name to Panda Garden. As another reviewer has noted, they now serve meat as well, I was disappointed. I asked the guy why they served meat now, and he said they had to start serving meat to stay in business. I don't really know how adding meat to the only completely 100% vegan place in Richmond (Harrison St. Cafe has cheese) helps you save your business. I would have thought it would do nothing but turn the clientele away. I ordered the sesame chicken today and quite frankly, it was garbage. It was chewy and did not resemble chicken in any way shape or form. Now this isn't a huge problem, I don't really care if it tastes exactly like chicken but that's what it's marketing itself as. I just care if it tastes good, which it didn't. I will give it up for the mock ham fried rice though, it was excellent as always. I don't predict Panda Garden will be in business for much longer. I could be wrong though, who knows. They still do have a very large selection of Vegan items, but as others have noted, is just junky food. Check it out. But if a Vegan place can't survive in Richmond, VA...I don't know where it can. p.s. Dude definitely shorted me a spring roll in my lunch special today, bastard. ;) haha