Have you ever had a hard time agreeing on where to eat when you want one type of food but your friends all want something different? The Pan House is sort of an answer to that conundrum, with five different cuisines represented on its menu, and much of it is priced around $15 or less.
While researching this week’s Budget Bites, I came across The Pan House’s diverse menu and was surprised to see so many dishes from a wide range of countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Japan. What was even more surprising was the pricing. Though a couple of dishes pushed past the $20 ceiling, there were a number of items that would cost you way more elsewhere, from pho to Pad Thai to pork adobo.
On Tuesday, I visited the tucked-away spot on Walzem Road for lunch, and I admittedly had some trouble finding it. Eventually, I found my way and parked just outside the building with little to no trouble. Inside, The Pan House was simply set up, with a semi-ordered grid of tables and chairs filling one medium-sized dining room. There was one woman working the front of house, and she welcomed me with a warm greeting and told me to sit wherever I liked.
Dining room at The Pan House. (Polly Anna Rocha/MySA)
After finding a table, I was handed a menu and began browsing the many options. I couldn’t decide which cuisine to dive into first, but I think that’s kind of the point. It was a rainy, cool day, so I figured I’d start with egg drop soup ($4.99). For an entree, my eyes honed in on the pad Thai, which I could have with shrimp for a mere $14.99. That might seem like a lot for an ordinary lunch, but for a dish with shrimp, it was a steal.
The soup arrived almost instantly, with steam rising from the small bowl as it was set on the table. Freshly chopped scallions were sprinkled in, along with a pinch of fried wonton chips, adding some substance to the egg drop. I do wish there was a little more white pepper to give it some extra oomph, but a light pour of soy sauce added the flavor I was missing.
Egg drop soup from The Pan House. (Polly Anna Rocha/MySA)
When I ordered the pad Thai, I was asked to choose a spice level, and without hesitation, I went with medium because I did not want to fly too close to the sun. That said, medium was still quite spicy, and I had to wipe the sweat from my forehead more than once throughout the meal. The shrimp were deliciously plump, and the accoutrements that came with the pad Thai, like the peanuts and sprouts, gave the noodles that bit of texture and crunch that made for a dynamic meal.
The Pan House provided a satisfying experience, and I could see the concept ending several debates about where to grab dinner with a group that wants different things. I can’t speak for the other cuisines the restaurant tries to represent, but the pad Thai was certainly worth the $14.99 it cost.
Find it: 5009 Walzem Road, San Antonio, TX 78218
Sign up for Afternoon Headlines, MySA’s free newsletter bringing you San Antonio’s top stories of the day.
This article originally published at Pan-Asian restaurant in San Antonio spans cuisines with dishes under $15.
Dining and Cooking