Dining Out: Let Panda Chinese Take-Out whisk dinner to your door

In most categories -- seafood restaurant, sushi bar, Italian trattoria, steakhouse -- they eventually established a new list of favorites. But the search for a good Chinese takeout, particularly one that delivers, turned into a daunting task.

Until they hit on Panda Pavilion, that is.

Located in a spare, spotlessly clean storefront operation at 1805 U.S. 41 N., the business is strictly takeout/delivery. And virtually every dish they've sampled has lived up to my guests' high standards.

"I first visited on a whim ... not expecting too much," the husband said. "The place was close to home and I found out the owners are also from New York. Well, lo and behold, I finally discovered a Chinese takeout in Naples that served food as good as the takeouts back home. They also have quick delivery."

TIDBITS

Panda Pavilion; 1805 U.S. 41 N.; 434-8898 Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and from noon to 10 p.m. Sundays. Food: Chinese-American standards. Service: The telephone order taker and delivery person we dealt with were cheerful, helpful and friendly. Atmosphere: This is a spotlessly clean takeout/delivery business. Prices: Soups from $1.50/pint to $6/quart; appetizers from $1.40 to $11; noodle dishes (chow mein, lo mein, etc.) from $4/pint to $8.50/quart; fried rice from $1/pint to $8/quart; miscellaneous entrees (sweet and sour, seafood, vegetarian) from $7.25 to $12; house specialties from $10.25 to $14; special combination platters from $6 to $8.50; special luncheon combinations from $5.25 to $8. Wheelchair accessible: Yes. Credit Cards: All major. Value: Excellent. The next time you have a yen for mainstream Far East fare, give Panda a call. Every dish we tried was a quantum leap from the average local Chinese takeout. Our rating: * * * (* - Good. * * - Very Good. * * * - Excellent. * * * * - Extraordinary.)

At 7:25, we picked up our chopsticks and dug into a succulent pu pu platter ($11) that included fantail shrimp, spring rolls, barbecued spare ribs and crispy chicken wings. Although every item was excellent, the ribs and wings, which were redolent with pungent five-spice powder, were outstanding.

"This is not wimpy food," one guest commented. "It's got zest."

From the soup category, which offers seven varieties including an amazing chicken corn soup, we got a "half-and-half" ($2/pint).

I was told the mix of egg drop and wonton soup is "a New York thing" and discovered it's also a good thing, practically a meal in itself.

Although we thoroughly enjoyed all four of our entrees, the walnut shrimp ($11.25), one of the house specialties, was especially noteworthy. A simple combination of large, fresh-tasting shrimp and candied walnuts, it was reminiscent of a shrimp and Grand Marnier creation I once sampled in a very uptown restaurant.

Panda's take on that Chinese-American restaurant standard, General Tsu's chicken ($10.25), was also above average. It's a simple dish made with fried, boneless chicken, veggies and whole dried red peppers in a sweet-spicy sauce.

One taster called it the best of the bunch.

And we were all impressed with a new find called hot spiced shredded beef, a flavor bonanza priced at just $9. Portion size was generous, too. (Warning: Skip this one if zesty, peppery food isn't your thing.)

The most mainstream dish we tried was roast pork egg foo young ($6.50). Admittedly not a favorite -- too unexciting and bland -- two of us said this version had a slightly greasy taste. The third diner disagreed.

Note: Panda Pavilion takeout/delivery also offers all the standards -- I call them Chinese comfort foods -- such as moo goo gai pan, rice noodles, chow mein, lo mein, chop suey, sweet and sour combinations and several vegetarian alternatives such as broccoli with garlic sauce.

Based on my recent meal, these, too, are probably a cut above the Naples norm.