In the Baixa district of Lisbon, one of the most touristy and crowded areas of the city, you can find a small restaurant that doesn’t seem very touristy at all. Two small windows hide a concentration of scents from the Sichuan cuisine of China.
IT’S CALLED PANDA CANTINA,
THE RAMEN FACTORY.
Stepping inside, you’re transported to a corner of China. A large social table occupies the center of the room and a counter overlooks the open kitchen. The ambient green neon lighting sets the perfect mood.
You feel like a guest at a friend’s house, in this case, Yin’s. Owner Yin prepares pounds and pounds of fresh pasta for his ramen every day, following his family’s traditional recipe.
Panda Cantina is one of those places where the first bite is all it takes to win you over. The good news is that you can’t go wrong because the menu has only one offering: Ramen, Ramen, Ramen!
BEEF RAMEN
Beef ramen served with egg, seaweed, peanuts, cilantro, and soybean sprouts.
Ramen is now known as a typical Japanese dish, but comes from Chinese street food. Sichuan cuisine is characterized by its expert use of spices, expecially its fiery elements. The Beef Ramen at Panda Cantina is a celebration of savoriness, acidity, sweetness, and, of course, spiciness.
FRIED TOFU RAMEN
The most beloved version is the one with fried tofu, which offers a delicate yet exciting flavor. A noteworthy vegetarian version, a product of Yin’s creativity.
The result is extra crispy tofu served with sweet and sour sauce, absorbing all the broth’s flavors without losing its crunch. So good that you’ll be tempted to order more tofu on the side.
A QUIET SENSE OF SHARED APPRECIATION AMONG THE DINERS PREVAILS AT PANDA CANTINA. EVERYONE HERE HAS THE SAME GOAL: TO ENJOY A DINNER WITH AUTHENTIC FLAVORS AND NO FRILLS.
If you happen to notice a line in front of an establishment while walking the streets of Baixa, it might just be Panda Cantina, with its intention to delight the neighborhood’s residents with the flavors of a distant region.
