Blue Eyed Panda

Whether it’s go-hot-or-go-home Chinese fare you’re after or something a little less tastebud blowing, Ancoats indie Blue Eyed Panda delivers on both fronts. While from the outside, the restaurant doesn’t look like much, there’s nothing bland about the food, which has tons of kerb appeal – and packs plenty of flavour to boot.

Blue Eyed Panda covers two of the usual four favourites of Chinese cuisine: Szechuan and Cantonese. The spicy Szechuan selection offers up colourful and vibrant chilli-laced dishes, encompassing tofu and mock duck, fish and seafood, including soft shell crab and lobster tails, and various meat options. The Cantonese menu, meanwhile, brings to the table largely vegetarian stir-fries or a choice of roasts; different pork preparations, each sticky sweet with honey glaze.

There are oodles of noodles of the chow mein and vermicelli variety plus starters, soup and dim sum. Desserts include various fritters with ice cream and syrup, and the ultimate Chinese comfort food: a fried custard-filled bao with condensed milk and desiccated coconut.