Panda Cuisine - 2358 Nicholasville Road, Lexington (http://www.pandaky.com/)
This place had fallen off our go-to map a few years ago following several consecutive poor experiences. We rolled the dice last night and were pleased to see that that must have been a blip in their long history.
Many vegetarian options in addition to more traditionally oriented dishes (beef tendon, pork belly, pig ears, chicken feet, pork blood cake etc).
Approx $30 (before tip) for 2 apps, 2 main dishes, 2 soft drinks.
The specials board was only in Mandarin.
We have not tried their weekend or lunch buffet options.
Several tables with lazy-susans are available for larger groups to share food in the traditional style.
This is a mainstay for the local chinese / asian population and has a good proximity to campus. The demographics of the tables last night were about 20-80 (anglo / asian). The welcome was friendly and the atmosphere one of people enjoying food and conversation.
Trader Joe's is about 100 feet away offering grocery and attached wine/spirits shop. The general location is excellent putting you in close proximity to Southland Drive: Good Foods, the local coop (http://www.goodfoods.coop/), and a Habitat Restore. A short hop up the road is Lexington Green which houses the Joseph Beth booksellers flagship store (massive: http://www.josephbeth.com), the Whole Foods location in lex as well as Cinemark Lexington Green 8 cinema which is a 2nd-run & arthouse option in addition to the larger cineplex in the mall next door. The Lex-Green cinema has "dollar tuesdays" (http://www.cinemark.com/theatre-detail. ... de_id=1470)
A reasonable overview from last year:
Panda Cuisine stands alone among Lexington's Chinese restaurants
http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/08/2101 ... among.html
http://www.pandaky.com/