A Gastronomic Asian Feast At London's Hot New Restaurant P. F. Chang's

Britznbeatz ^ | Marcus Adetola

[Logicbox]

The food and drink are on another level, from the signature drink, Fizu, upon arrival (sparkling sake, cucumber, and lemon oil), to my personal favourite, the Original Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Dynamite Shrimp. It is a little spicy but maintains a perfect balance. I also had the zingy Orange Peel Lamb Chop. There is a great dessert selection for those with a sweet tooth like myself. The Gorgonzola Cheesecake is topped with sour cream and gorgonzola crumb which gives it a slight tang but is nicely balanced out with candied walnuts and a delicious mascarpone filled port poached pear. Even the Taste of Asia ice cream plate is special with a selection of saffron and rose water, yoghurt and wasabi ripple, and coconut ash ice cream.

[RegulatorCountry]

It’s nice to see unbridled enthusiasm for something American coming out of London rather than snideness. P. F. Chang is well thought out, the food is interesting, nicely presented as well as pretty tasty, and the interior is Apple-sleek. I wouldn’t call it necessarily cheap though, but maybe by London standards it is.

[Bullish]

P.F Chang’s sucks balls. Overpriced crap compared to good Chinese cuisine.

[AZLiberty]

Totally disagree. P.F. Chang’s makes excellent food, including a good-sized gluten-free menu — gluten-free enough for celiacs.

[rrrod]

I’ve had dinner in PF Chang Bogota several times....excellent!

[texas booster]

While the PF Changs menu is certainly Americanized, their decision to make everything fresh in the restaurant is becoming rare in any chain restaurant.

And the lettuce wraps are pretty much the best item on the menu, standing the test of time over much competition.

[texas booster]

PF Changs is a very Americanized sort of Asian cuisine, but it is a reliable source of decent meals that are all cooked in house.

On the West coast there is better Asian cuisine, since it is less Americanized, but these guys do it well.

I gave up trying to find “real” Asian food on travels in the US. I know it is out there but I can't stomach much of it.

OTOH, many Asian guests to Texas end up having me take them to Chinese buffets. Go figure!

[exDemMom]

I was highly amused when I saw a P.F. Chang’s in Seoul. American interpretation of Chinese food, available in Seoul where it is probably heavily Koreanized.

I did not try it out, as P.F. Chang’s heavily seasons food with ginger, and I am allergic.

[mazda77]

I visited a PF Changs in KC a number of years ago for a business meeting and I left without finding anything significant about it. Was I jaded, no pun intended, because my father owned an about as authentic Chinese restaurant in Cincinnati during the early 70’s? The Kali-Kai in Blue Ridge.

I worked there on occasion while in school and learned from the Taiwanese cooks about what they ate that was not on the menu. Changs reminded me of going into a Taco Bell when looking for Mexican. To me, it was nothing more than a Yuppie joint with an oriental motif.

Right after 911, I went to Taiwan for a project to construct and commission a plant I was involved in the design. Big difference! Just to be said they waste nothing, Absolutely nothing and whatever your imagination could come up with, goes beyond that. Nowhere close to any “Chinese” restaurant in the US.

So, if you like your American food sprinkled with some oriental staples like bean sprouts and a little bok choy and a bottle of soy sauce on the table. Kewl, have at it, but like I said, I’m jaded.

[JimSEA]

It is entirely possible to both enjoy authentic Chinese meals and, at the same time, enjoy PF Chang’s. My family does.

[SaraJohnson]

I make their chicken lettuce wraps. Yum!

[Chode]

i prefer Lee HO Fook's place

[onona]

Headlines for a chain restaurant ?

[Riley]

i prefer Lee HO Fook's place

A-ooo!

[Flag_This]

Going to get a big dish of beef chow mein.

[Chode]

and his hair was perfect...

[tgusa]

Here in Virginia we have a few Peter Chang’s restaurants. Wife and I were taken to one by some (authentic) Chinese friends. On their recommendation, I tried some ‘innards’ stuff that I never would have approached otherwise. OMG, all were absolutely DELICIOUS! Note: this was Peter Chang’s, not PF Chang’s; distinctly different. I do enjoy PF Chang’s, albeit more for the urban atmosphere, although the cuisine is good also.

[katana]

Chinese restaurants tend to adapt their cooking to local tastes, or what they perceive as local taste. The Chinese food I've had in Germany has always been bland and boring. A few years ago a Polish lady was exhibiting her products alongside mine at a trade event in Singapore and our hosts took us out to dinner. The food was fabulous, not really hot spicy but well seasoned and varied. Maybe twenty "courses" on the usual big lazy susan on the table. She literally would not touch a bite of anything as it was all "too spicy". It was kind of sad, really. She didn't seem to understand or care that she was not only missing out on an experience but insulting her hosts in the process.

But speaking of Taiwan, I was told when there that one reason the cuisine is so excellent is that among the escapees who left in 1949 with Chiang Kai-shek's army were many if not most of the finest professional chefs in the country. And the cuisine is widely varied covering all the regional specialties. If you're in Chengdu you're going to get the roof of your mouth singed with Szechuan, whether you're into that or not. In Taiwan you can find just about anything and of very high quality.

[ChildOfThe60s]

Yuppie food.
When I want good Asian food I go to a family-owned restaurant of the particular ethnicity I am interested in.
If I go to a Korean restaurant and there are too many white faces in there then I know it’s not going to be that good.

[Deplorable American1776]

P.F.Chang’s is new...? Good not great...