Panda Garden

The lady comes over and I make my order in two syllables, as you only can in Chinese restaurants. “D, please”. “Set meal for two?” “That’s the one.” I also order a bottle of red wine. Chinese red wine, called Great Wall. “Are the grapes grown on the banks of the wall?” I ask the charming woman who brings it over to accompany our complimentary prawn crackers. “Yes they are,” she says. “In an area the size of England. The grapes are so big they call them dragon’s eyes.” I taste it. It tastes OK.
The main reason for going for ‘D’ amongst the four set menus was the fact that it comes with a crispy duck starter. This is just about as good as food gets. Line the duck up onto the little chapatti, add some shredded cucumber, spoon on some thick dark sauce, roll up and gobble in two bites. A taste sensation. Start all over again: there are eight chapattis in a round wicker basket.
Afterwards they bring our four dishes: mixed vegetables, prawns in a hot sauce, deep fried sweet and sour beef in batter and chicken in a rich soy sauce, with a bowl of rice. They put them on a hot plate. I ask for a little bowl and chopsticks, which always makes the experience of eating Chinese more interesting, and last longer. We’re in there for ages. It’s a brilliant way to eat. When I lived in London I went to Chinese restaurants a lot, (however rude the staff were at Wong Kei's). But I’d never really thought of doing so in Lewes. As I chopstick the last bit of sweet and sour beef into my mouth, I realise this has been a big mistake. I’ll be back. AL