Review: Yoshinoya - Orange Chicken

Yoshinoya recently introduced their own version of Orange Chicken, which are boneless crispy-fried pieces of chicken in an orange sauce.

The price on Orange Chicken is $4.99 for a regular rice bowl and $6.29 for a combo bowl. I went for the combo bowl so I could get some beef and veggies to go with.

Yoshinoya is going head-to-head with Panda Express with the new offering here in Southern California (where both chains have a large presence) and they've done a good job with it.

Yoshinoya's Orange Chicken is similarly sweet and tangy but with a milder orange flavor and less sauce. There's a definite note of heat to it that's spicier than Panda Express' version. The batter, on the whole, is a little less thick; but unless you get it from either chain right out of the fryer, it's not going to be crispy.

Overall, Yoshinoya's Orange Chicken was really good and compares well to Panda Express although I wouldn't say it dethrones the bamboo-eating bear. That being said, it is great for late night eats as my local Yoshinoya is open until 3 AM, while Panda Express typically closes by 9 PM.