Review: Panda Express And Compartes Chocolate Is The Collab We Didn't Knew We Needed

When you think of Panda Express, images of orange or Kung Pao chicken, chow mein noodles, and steaming piles of white rice are probably the first things that come to mind. Chocolate, on the other hand, has no association with the brand — at least until now. Panda Express has a new collaboration with Compartés Chocolate in the works, and it's sure to turn some heads. How so? Well, the two companies teamed up to create four unique chocolate bar recipes inspired by Panda Express dishes. That's right, Chinese food-inspired chocolate bars. Intrigued yet? I sure was.

If you've never heard of Compartés Chocolate, it's a luxury chocolate brand, so its collaboration with Panda Express is completely unexpected, to say the least. Still, just hearing about the new recipes — The Original Orange Bar, Honey Walnut Bar, Fortune Cookie Bar, and Kung Pao Bar — instantly piqued my interest. Lucky me, I was also able to score a tasting in advance, and I can't wait to tell you what I thought. As it turns out, the Panda Express story still has some plot twists none of us were anticipating. However, is it a fool's journey or a hero's tale? Let's find out.

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So here's the thing: There are only a couple of ways to get your hands on the new Panda Express x Compartés Chocolate Bar collaboration, and they won't be around forever. So, if you want a taste, you'll want to jump on one or both of them right away.

The first way to snag the new Panda Express x Compartés Chocolate Bars is to go directly to the source: Compartés Chocolate's website. Starting December 2nd, you can purchase all four bars in a cute red gift box, complete with a bow, for $49.95. If you prefer to pick and choose, you can also purchase any of the bars individually for $11.95 each. (No spoilers, but you better believe that's what I would do.)

Your next option for getting a taste of the new collaboration is to head to Panda Express on December 5th, which just so happens to be National Comfort Food Day. On that day only, you can score a free Fortune Cookie Bar with the purchase of a two-item Panda Express plate.

For most of us, nutritional information isn't a main priority when it comes time for a sweet treat. However, if you're keeping track, you'll be pleased to know that the premium quality of Compartés Chocolate comes with a few perks. For starters, none of the four chocolate bars contain any artificial sweeteners or flavors — you can rest assured that they are made with top-quality ingredients. Additionally, each serving (about half of a bar) comes with 3 or 4 grams of protein, depending on the particular flavor. They may be chocolate bars, but they aren't nutrition-free by any means (maybe thanks to some of the nuts in there).

As for calories, you can expect between 220 and 250 per serving. The highest of the bunch is the Kung Pao Bar, but considering a serving is about half of a complete bar, I'll take it. Each serving also contains 11 to 16 grams of fat, 19 to 28 grams of total carbs, and 10 to 22 grams of total sugars. Take that information how you want, but also don't forget: It's dessert.

The first Compartés x Panda Express Chocolate I unwrapped and tasted was the Original Orange Bar. Described as a milk chocolate bar infused with zesty orange extract and a hint of red chili flakes, it draws inspiration from Panda Express' signature orange chicken — and that alone was enough to pique my interest. So, how'd it taste? Well...

I'll tell you up front, I'm not normally a fan of chocolate with orange (or cherry) added to the mix, but this one surprised me. From the very first bite, I knew it was not like any other orange chocolate I'd tasted before. Each taste delivered bright pops of fresh-tasting flavor — there wasn't anything artificial about it. There were also lots of crunchy nuggets and a bit of rind for texture. As a result, I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated.

The flavors found in The Original Orange Bar were expertly balanced, the texture was a delight, and the quality certainly wasn't lacking. Actually, it's the opposite. Thanks to the use of what could only be the most premium of ingredients, the chocolate was decadently rich, creamy, and sweet, and the added flavors were deliciously tart, tangy, and citrusy. Yum! My only complaint is that I barely detected any heat. There was the occasional bite with a hint of red pepper, but they were few and far between. As someone who likes things extra spicy, it was more of a tease than anything.

The Compartés Honey Walnut Bar is made with Panda Express' sweet candied walnuts, honey, and honeycomb chunks, all wrapped up in white chocolate. Unfortunately, this configuration puts it at a serious disadvantage for me because white chocolate is far from my favorite. Even so, it was much tastier than I anticipated. Yes, I judged it before getting a taste, but can you blame me? White chocolate is something of an anomaly — is it even chocolate? My vote is no, but I digress.

Despite my minor disdain for white chocolate, the Compartés Honey Walnut Bar boasted many swoon-worthy flavors. The honey, for one, was spectacular, and the honeycomb chunks are simply the chef's kiss. They add more of the sweet, nectar-like flavor plus a little crunch. The walnuts take the texture even further into divine territory.

As for the chocolate itself, after a single taste, I knew it was yummier than any white chocolate I'd ever had before. It was deliciously creamy and rich. So much so that it had me thinking I'd never tried premium white chocolate before. Still, I wish it were made with milk or dark chocolate. White chocolate just doesn't hit the same, you know? Regardless, the Honey Walnut Bar was expertly executed, and the blend of flavors and textures was on point. If you like white chocolate, I have trouble seeing how you couldn't love it.

While not necessarily Chinese by origin, fortune cookies are a must with Chinese food in the United States. With this in mind, the Panda Express x Compartés Chocolate collab wouldn't be complete without a bar featuring the tasty post-meal cookie. May I present the Fortune Cookie Bar. Made with white chocolate and, you guessed it, crumbled up pieces of fortune cookie, it's the most straightforward mash-up of the two brands' flavors. After all, it's not as unexpected as kung pao chocolate, but its yumminess lies in its simplicity.

Just like the Honey Maple Bar, the white chocolate in the Fortune Cookie Bar is exceptionally creamy and smooth. It oozes premium flavors, as well. I may not be the biggest fan of white chocolate as a whole, but nicely done, Compartés. You might just make a believer of me yet. All that aside, the crumbled-up fortune cookie chunks are by far the best part of the recipe. They have a subtle yet noticeable sweet flavor that balances the saccharine-forward taste of the white chocolate in expert fashion. To top it all off, the premium quality flavors linger on the tongue for quite some time, too.

You probably already know what I'm going to say, but I really wish the Fortune Cookie Bar were made with milk or dark chocolate instead of white chocolate. Too bad for me, but for all you white chocolate enthusiasts out there, I strongly recommend giving it a try.

Last up on my taste-testing adventure is the Panda Express x Compartés Chocolate Kung Pao Bar, and you know what? This is one of those cases where I saved the best for last. It's the only recipe made with dark chocolate (my favorite), and it features Panda Express' dried chili peppers, peanut chunks, and salt. Initially, I wasn't sure how chocolate inspired by kung pao chicken would turn out, but the description was enough to get me drooling.

For the Kung Pao Bar and me, it was love at first taste. The peanuts, salt, and dark chocolate alone were enough to win my vote — talk about premium flavors and textures — but the real showstopper was the dried chili peppers. Instead of playing it safe, Compartés went full force with them, resulting in a recipe that isn't for everyone, but is sure to win the hearts of anyone with a taste for extra spicy foods. With each bite of the Kung Pao Bar, my taste buds had a party as the tantalizing heat spread across my entire palate and the inside of my lips. A couple of bites even got me in the back of the throat, almost making me cough. Woohoo! Plus, it left my mouth tingling for minutes to come, all of which I spent thinking about eating more. In fact, I hope I dream about it tonight. Give it a try if you think you can handle the heat.

Panda Express chocolate definitely wasn't something I had on my bingo card this year, but the world is full of surprises. Like, who even thought making Chinese food-inspired chocolate would be a good idea? Compartés Chocolate and Panda Express, that's who. And, oh man, did the adventure outside the box pay off. No shade, but Panda Express isn't really thought of as a wonderland for culinary innovation. I mean, it's fast food after all (okay, so maybe a little shade). Still, this new collaboration proves that Panda Express not only knows how to push boundaries but does, in fact, have a taste for the finer things in life, as well.

Each of the four chocolate bar recipes in the new collaboration came together in ways I couldn't have imagined. Am I a little bitter that two of the bars are made with white chocolate? Yes, but they still tasted way better than anticipated, and a lack of quality and premium flavors isn't even on the table. Hands-down, the best chocolate bar of the bunch was the Kung Pao Bar. As someone who will gladly forsake all other sweet treats for anything with dark chocolate and a bit of a kick, this isn't a huge shock. Even so, it isn't for the faint of heart, because, oh man, does it pack a serious punch of heat. If you're like me, though, you'll be craving another piece as soon as the spice starts to wear off.