Just months after turning two years old, Singapore-born panda Le Le is set to return to China in January 2024. The last day visitors to the River Wonder’s Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest can get a glimpse of the cub will be on 13 December during a special farewell event.
As a tongue-in-cheek tribute to our very own local panda baby, Greendot Media susses out all things panda in Singapore. From panda-named restaurants to the most unlikely panda brands, the list is so long that we could go on till our eyebags grow as dark as a panda’s. But don’t fret, here’s just our Top 10 picks.
#1 foodpanda
When it comes to brands with the word ‘panda’ in it, foodpanda probably wins hands-down in terms of brand recall. Started in Singapore in 2012, then bought over by Berlin-based Delivery Hero, foodpanda is one of the pioneers that revolutionised the local food delivery scene. It has since diversified to offer grocery deliveries too through pandamart, where customers can order everything from snacks to shampoo and receive them within 25 minutes. Get promo codes valid till 31 Oct 2023 here.
#2 Panda-Named Restaurants
Photo credit: Purple Panda
Purple Panda is a Halal restaurant with two outlets at TripleOne Somerset and Hillion Mall. Its extensive menu boasts Western-style chops, steaks and pasta, Japanese donburi, sides, Taiwanese dessert bowls and bubble tea. Try their signature Chicky Cutlet (breaded chicken with 2 sides) and Beef Donburi.
Photo credit: Panda BBQ via Facebook
Located at New Bridge Road in the Chinatown area, Panda BBQ 熊猫撸串 serves traditional Chuan-style Chinese food. Recommended items include Clam Rice Noodles in tinfoil box and Grilled Whole Eggplant, its skin taking on a smoky charring and flesh silky soft with every bite.
#3 Panda Pastries & Breads
Photo credit: Annabella Patisserie
Whether to celebrate a child’s birthday or when you want to put a smile on someone’s face, a cute-looking panda-shaped cake will do the trick. You can order a buttercream Panda Cake from local boutique bakery, The Frosted Chick or the Panda-monium! Ice Cream Cake from Swensen’s. Macaron lovers should check out the Panda Macaron Tower, a fanciful confection piled with 43 pieces of macarons and meringue from Annabella Patisserie.
Image credit: Asanoya Boulangerie
Hailing from the Land of the Rising Sun, Asanoya Boulangerie boasts a long history that dates back to 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. Its first international outpost opened in 2014 at Queen Street, Singapore. Today it has two other outlets at Paragon and Bukit Timah. All offer a wide selection of breads, pastries and desserts that are made without preservatives and with key ingredients sourced from Japan. Must-tries include their signature Swirl Shokupan, exclusive to Singapore. Its Animal Series features a Matcha Turtle Pan (milk bun with green tea biscuit streusel) and a Panda Bread (bun with chocolate ganache centre).
Photo credit: Soup Restaurant
For dim sum-style Chinese steamed buns, you can get Soup Restaurant’s Frozen Panda Buns from Shopee. Kids will love their black and white panda shapes and the red bean filling will satisfy your cravings for good old Red Bean Pau.
#4 Nike Dunk Low ‘Panda’
Photo credit: Stadium Goods
A hot item when it was launched in 2021, this version of the acclaimed Nike Dunk continues to fly off the shelves every time it’s restocked. It’s dubbed the ‘Panda’ because of its black and white colourway similar to a panda bear – white leather upper with black leather overlays. In Singapore, it’s currently available at the official Nike store, Zalora and Foot Locker. And in sizes for the whole family (men, women, kids and toddlers) too.
#5 Panda Snacks
For a taste of nostalgia, the Hello Panda biscuits are well-loved by generations. Launched in Japan since 1979, each crunchy little biscuit is printed with a cartoon panda and filled with a crème centre. In Singapore, seven flavours are available, ranging from the original chocolate or strawberry filling to newer ones like caramel filling or cocoa biscuit with milk filling.
WuGuFeng, a Halal-certified bakery, specialises in gift pastries such as Pineapple Cookies, Kueh Lapis, Durian Egg Roll that are perfect for foreign visitors or gifts for special occasions. Its Panda Cookies features cute panda-shaped butter-chocolate cookies, individually wrapped in a box reminiscent of an old-time match-stick box. Available at WuGuFeng online shop and retailers such as Isetan Supermarket and Tangs.
#6 Limited Edition Panda Stamps
Photo credit: Carousell
Avid stamp collectors will remember the Giant Pandas collectible stamps launched by SingPost in 2012 to welcome the arrival of Kai Kai and Jia Jia – the panda parents of Le Le. The stamps featuring watercolour panda drawings, were designed by ex-Mediacorp actor Edmund Chen. Today, you can lay your hands on these limited edition stamps on Carousell.
#7 Panda Plushies
Looking for adorable panda soft toys for your bae or kid? You should have no problem finding one as many retailers stock them. Those in this photo were spotted at FairPrice Xtra at Vivocity. Or get the Djunkelskog panda from Ikea or items from the Mandai Wildlife Reserves Panda Family Collection on Shopee.
#8 Panda-branded Condiments
Its striking red-coloured label makes the Panda Brand Oyster Sauce quite easy to spot on the supermarket shelf. Produced by Lee Kum Kee, the Panda Brand was named by the company’s later group chairman after US President Richard Nixon received two giant pandas as gifts when he visited China in 1972, according to this video clip.
Not related to Lee Kum Kee’s Panda Brand, this Gourmet Gao Liang Chiew cooking wine is by a different Panda brand.
#9 Panda-named Education Centres
Due to its Chinese association, it’s no surprise that enrichment centres offering Mandarin courses will include ‘Panda’ in their names. Hence, you’ll find Panda Century, Panda Chinese Language Tuition, Panda Mandarin Language Center. Besides Chinese tuition, Panda Enrichment & Panda Student Care also offers tuition in other subjects and after-school care.
#10 Fiat Panda
Image credit: Fiat.com
With the lifespan of cars on Singapore roads averaging 10 years, it’ll be difficult to find an original Fiat Panda on the road these days. Launched in 1980, the Panda is one of Fiat’s iconic small-car models. A 4×40° Limited Edition was launched in 2023 to celebrate the Panda’s 40th anniversary but it’s only available in selected European markets. If you wish to own a Panda in Singapore, check out this pre-owned 1.3L third generation model from 2003, currently listed for sale on SGCarMart.
And finally, if you wish to see the real panda…
Visit River Wonders to give Le Le a panda-stic farewell! Enjoy a 40% discount off the 1 Adult + 1 Child admission bundle to River Wonders from 6 to 31 October 2023! Get tickets now.
