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Fast food and fast casual restaurants aren’t new to the table-service category. White Castle’s been dabbling in “fine dining” on Valentine’s Day since 1991. Shake Shack’s doing something similar this year, to locally sold-out effect. And this weekend, the American Chinese chain Panda Express is entering the upscale action for what reps say is the first time in its 41-year history.
On Friday, February 16 and Saturday, February 17 at 6pm and 8pm each night, the Panda Express location on Third Avenue at 51st Street in Manhattan will transform into a “sit-down” destination replete with live violin music and five family-style courses created in collaboration with Olivier Cheng Catering and Events, which has also done work with the Met Gala and luxury brands like Chanel and Hermès. The seatings are in celebration of Panda Express’s returning firecracker shrimp.
"It's an honor to partner with Panda on creating these completely customized culinary events," Olivier Cheng, founder of Olivier Cheng Catering and Events, is quoted as saying in a statement. "By combining Panda's American Chinese culinary expertise with our world-class hospitality service, no detail was spared in the planning process to execute on this vision and deliver a truly exceptional fine-dining experience for our guests. We can't wait for them to be whisked away into the world of a 5-star restaurant for the night!"
An as-yet unannounced amuse bouche will begin the evening, accompanied by a (non-alcoholic) welcome drink. Bread service will follow, pairing a Chinese doughnut with burrata, honey, sesame seeds, chili crisp, scallions, and cilantro jalapeño relish. Then comes a Mongolian beef sandwich app, followed by the main course, the reason for the season, that hotly anticipated, wok-seared firecracker shrimp, served with fried rice and an eggplant-tofu side dish. A “Tea'ramisu,” layered with chiffon cake, milk tea and mascarpone whipped cream will be served for dessert.
Tickets are available here. At $38 per person, this might be the most affordable multi-course tasting in NYC, if only a little easier to access than fashion’s biggest night.