I understand.
Sushi becoming a FAD is what ruined it. I fell in love with sushi when I was still in tech school. There was a little Japanese place around the corner that a group of us used to go to about once a month or so. We were all used to eating in Chinatown, and so in comparison the Japanese place was outrageously expensive. Compared to the cost today, even that was dirt cheap.
and for you to dismiss
PFChangs as some chain chinese food, does not remotely do it justice. It is extremely high quality chinese food. It is higher priced than chinatown restaurants, but it doesn't load up on starchy MSG laden sauces and tons of vegetables.
Pei Wei is the cheaper alternative but there you get more of the miniature corn, peppers, carrots etc. that they use for filler.