What's your favorite PF Chang's menu item?

[MrMatt]

Personally for me, I love the Great Wall of Chocolate. What's your favorite PF Chang's dish?

 

[Newbian]

Tso as always.

 

[MoPHo]

Everyone has always told me to go to P.F. Chang's but every time I go it isn't that good...

 

[sjwaste]

I don't love the place, but on occasion we go, and I usually try to stick to the specials. I had a pineapple-marinated short rib dish there once that was very good, something I never thought I'd eat in a chain restaurant. However, it was over some very poorly cooked brown rice.

For American-Chinese food, I like the place on the corner from me. Stock menu, stock name (Panda Cafe, I think it's called) but they have a couple of things that I really like. Their kung pao is excellent, as are their szechwan dumplings. From what I can tell, neither is being made from a packaged sauce.

For more authentic Sichuan food, which I hope Descartes jumps in to talk about because he knows way more than I do, there's a place called Hong Kong Palace over in Falls Church, VA that I've been eating at lately. I know, Sichuan is a northern, land-locked region, and the place is named after an island to the south. Apparently they chose it for marketing, afraid that people wouldn't come otherwise, but it's as authentic as I've found. Bonus that it's packed every night of the week after 6, and mostly from people who are ordering off of a menu that I can't read. They give you the English version of the same thing, though.

Man, I think I gotta go there tomorrow now.

 

[Drakkon]

PF Changs almost tastes exactly like Panda Express to me - thus the orange chicken is always a favorite

 

[Brainonska511]

Don't go often enough to have a favorite thing.

 

[Descartes]

The wife likes PF Changs, but thankfully I've converted her to better food. If I'm pressed to go to PF Changs, I get the NY Strip. That's the only neutral item I've found on the menu.

Other than that, there's just not much to like on their menu. What they offer is ambiance, a nice place to get a drink and a consistent menu. A better experience often leaves you in the middle of nowhere as the only round eye asking what "ma la" means and getting weird looks or getting Sichuan peppercorn stuck in your throat.

:thumbsup: to sjwaste

 

[Baked]

I go to real Chinese seafood restaurants for Chinese food. You know what's funny? "Chinese" restaurants with high marks in Caucasian food publications suck.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: sjwaste
I don't love the place, but on occasion we go, and I usually try to stick to the specials. I had a pineapple-marinated short rib dish there once that was very good, something I never thought I'd eat in a chain restaurant. However, it was over some very poorly cooked brown rice.

For American-Chinese food, I like the place on the corner from me. Stock menu, stock name (Panda Cafe, I think it's called) but they have a couple of things that I really like. Their kung pao is excellent, as are their szechwan dumplings. From what I can tell, neither is being made from a packaged sauce.

For more authentic Sichuan food, which I hope Descartes jumps in to talk about because he knows way more than I do, there's a place called Hong Kong Palace over in Falls Church, VA that I've been eating at lately. I know, Sichuan is a northern, land-locked region, and the place is named after an island to the south. Apparently they chose it for marketing, afraid that people wouldn't come otherwise, but it's as authentic as I've found. Bonus that it's packed every night of the week after 6, and mostly from people who are ordering off of a menu that I can't read. They give you the English version of the same thing, though.

Man, I think I gotta go there tomorrow now.

Sichuan is more south. If you ask sichuanese people whether they're northerners or southerners, they self-identify as frmo the south. Personally I hate the "ma" part of sichuanese food. I love spicy but I hate the numbing feeling of the peppercorns. It distorts the flavor of food and leaves the unpleasant sensation on my mouth for a really long time. Otherwise I love everything in sichuanese food. Dan Dan noodles, the wontons in hot chilly oil, all kinds of spicey cold cuts. Man so good.

 

[Fritzo]

My wife got severly ill on a shrimp salad from there and we haven't eaten there since.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

The one time I went to PF Chang's I got shot in the dick. Not going back.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: sjwaste
I don't love the place, but on occasion we go, and I usually try to stick to the specials. I had a pineapple-marinated short rib dish there once that was very good, something I never thought I'd eat in a chain restaurant. However, it was over some very poorly cooked brown rice.

For American-Chinese food, I like the place on the corner from me. Stock menu, stock name (Panda Cafe, I think it's called) but they have a couple of things that I really like. Their kung pao is excellent, as are their szechwan dumplings. From what I can tell, neither is being made from a packaged sauce.

For more authentic Sichuan food, which I hope Descartes jumps in to talk about because he knows way more than I do, there's a place called Hong Kong Palace over in Falls Church, VA that I've been eating at lately. I know, Sichuan is a northern, land-locked region, and the place is named after an island to the south. Apparently they chose it for marketing, afraid that people wouldn't come otherwise, but it's as authentic as I've found. Bonus that it's packed every night of the week after 6, and mostly from people who are ordering off of a menu that I can't read. They give you the English version of the same thing, though.

Man, I think I gotta go there tomorrow now.

Sichuan is more south. If you ask sichuanese people whether they're northerners or southerners, they self-identify as frmo the south. Personally I hate the "ma" part of sichuanese food. I love spicy but I hate the numbing feeling of the peppercorns. It distorts the flavor of food and leaves the unpleasant sensation on my mouth for a really long time. Otherwise I love everything in sichuanese food. Dan Dan noodles, the wontons in hot chilly oil, all kinds of spicey cold cuts. Man so good.

If it's just peppercorn, then no doubt it's overwhelming and not very interesting. But seriously, few cuisines achieve that "numbing feeling" (know completely what you mean) that can sometimes overwhelm.

Like any ingredient, it has to be used in balance to be effective. People that think they can go crazy with the peppercorns and call it a day are no different than American chefs that love to toss around truffle oil.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: sjwaste
I don't love the place, but on occasion we go, and I usually try to stick to the specials. I had a pineapple-marinated short rib dish there once that was very good, something I never thought I'd eat in a chain restaurant. However, it was over some very poorly cooked brown rice.

For American-Chinese food, I like the place on the corner from me. Stock menu, stock name (Panda Cafe, I think it's called) but they have a couple of things that I really like. Their kung pao is excellent, as are their szechwan dumplings. From what I can tell, neither is being made from a packaged sauce.

For more authentic Sichuan food, which I hope Descartes jumps in to talk about because he knows way more than I do, there's a place called Hong Kong Palace over in Falls Church, VA that I've been eating at lately. I know, Sichuan is a northern, land-locked region, and the place is named after an island to the south. Apparently they chose it for marketing, afraid that people wouldn't come otherwise, but it's as authentic as I've found. Bonus that it's packed every night of the week after 6, and mostly from people who are ordering off of a menu that I can't read. They give you the English version of the same thing, though.

Man, I think I gotta go there tomorrow now.

Sichuan is more south. If you ask sichuanese people whether they're northerners or southerners, they self-identify as frmo the south. Personally I hate the "ma" part of sichuanese food. I love spicy but I hate the numbing feeling of the peppercorns. It distorts the flavor of food and leaves the unpleasant sensation on my mouth for a really long time. Otherwise I love everything in sichuanese food. Dan Dan noodles, the wontons in hot chilly oil, all kinds of spicey cold cuts. Man so good.

If it's just peppercorn, then no doubt it's overwhelming and not very interesting. But seriously, few cuisines achieve that "numbing feeling" (know completely what you mean) that can sometimes overwhelm.

Like any ingredient, it has to be used in balance to be effective. People that think they can go crazy with the peppercorns and call it a day are no different than American chefs that love to toss around truffle oil.

I think one of the places I go to tends to pride itself in really stressing the peppercorns. Some people seem to like the feeling, I really hate it.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

PF Changs is the white version of chinese food, and is ridiculously terrible at it

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: Descartes
The wife likes PF Changs, but thankfully I've converted her to better food. If I'm pressed to go to PF Changs, I get the NY Strip. That's the only neutral item I've found on the menu.

Other than that, there's just not much to like on their menu. What they offer is ambiance, a nice place to get a drink and a consistent menu. A better experience often leaves you in the middle of nowhere as the only round eye asking what "ma la" means and getting weird looks or getting Sichuan peppercorn stuck in your throat.

:thumbsup: to sjwaste

Don't worry, it'll go numb quickly!

My fiancee likes PF Changs as well. I'd agree that "off the grill" and "battered and fried" are probably the safest menu areas. I do like the lettuce wraps, though, I sometimes make a meal out of those and a few beers.

When I show up to a place, whatever ethnicity, and they have to go in the back to get the person that speaks enough English to describe things to me -- that's when I know I'm going to be happy when the plates hit the table.

As I've probably demonstrated in other threads, though, I'm definitely not a chain hater. A few of them do some interesting things. I've been looking for good burgers lately, and I'll be damned if Ted's Montana Grill isn't near the top of my list.

 

[Joemonkey]

never been there, but i hear the lettuce wraps are good

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Sichuan is more south. If you ask sichuanese people whether they're northerners or southerners, they self-identify as frmo the south. Personally I hate the "ma" part of sichuanese food. I love spicy but I hate the numbing feeling of the peppercorns. It distorts the flavor of food and leaves the unpleasant sensation on my mouth for a really long time. Otherwise I love everything in sichuanese food. Dan Dan noodles, the wontons in hot chilly oil, all kinds of spicey cold cuts. Man so good.

That's good to know, never got that far into a discussion, but now I won't make a fool of myself when speaking to the owners

The spicy cold cuts as starters are something I've just recently had, but are very familiar to some of the Italian cooking I grew up on (my family is from Italy). Recently, I had this cold chicken, chopped up w/ the bones still in it, in a hot chili oil with a little bit of cilantro. I think they called it irresistable chicken on the english version of the menu, but I'm guessing that's not a direct translation It was fantastic. Dried spicy beef reminds me of a lot of the things my dad has curing in the basement, almost like a beef capicolo.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

i can get better food for much much cheaper at a ghetto chinese food place. plus i get the excitement that goes with bulletproof glass and the feeling of getting shot while i wait for my food.

 

[Ns1]

lettuce wraps


everything else is shit

 

[MrMatt]

Originally posted by: PhoKingGuy
PF Changs is the white version of chinese food, and is ridiculously terrible at it

Thank you, I didn't know that. At least taco bell is real mexican food and olive garden is real italian food.

Originally posted by: Ns1
lettuce wraps


everything else is shit

My gf got some to go for lunch today. Never tried em. Our friends recommended them actually.

 

[MrMatt]

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
The one time I went to PF Chang's I got shot in the dick. Not going back.

i figured that'd be the first reply in the thread

 

[meltdown75]

lettuce wraps
any of the chicken dishes

 

[KeithTalent]

Went there once about a year or so ago and I will never return.

KT

 

[alkemyst]

the waitresses.

Also PF Changs is not 'authentic' anything, they don't try to be...they are a fusion restaurant. If you cannot understand that stay out.

 

[Bill Brasky]

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
The one time I went to PF Chang's I got shot in the dick. Not going back.

Fire a warning shot, Butters!

The wraps are amazing.