PF Chang's: A Chain Restaurant

Most of the Chinese restaurants I go to are locally owned.  PF Chang's is not.  We go to PF Chang's about twice a year.  Usually, it's with other people that have requested to go there.  This time, I actually decided to go there on my own, with out the push from friends. When we go, we normally go to the Keystone at the Crossing location.  This time, we were downtown and starving, so, we went to the downtown location.  I'll do a little comparing of the locations as I go. 

The Menu

The P.F. Chang's menu is pretty standard at any location.  This time, we were told that there were a few new dishes on the menu. They mark the dishes in the menu with little logos that describe if the dish is spicy or vegetarian. 

Blueberry Jazmin Green Tea

The weird thing about this tea was, it tasted like bubble gum with a kick! It was good tea.  I felt like the glass could have been cleaner.  I don't think this is an issue that I've ever had at the Keystone at the Crossing location.

Hot and Sour Soup

If you've read any of my blogs about Chinese restaurants, you know I love a good hot and sour soup! P.F. Chang's does not disappoint!  We used to go and get the bowl, which could feed four, and take a bunch of it home for the next day. This soup is really good!
*Ian and I both got the hot and sour soup. When the server brought our soups out, she gave Ian one that had spilled all over the little plate.  She apologized, but it was a little weird and quite messy! 

Spring Rolls

With the meal for two, you can choose an appetizer to share. We chose the spring rolls! They are good and have a crispy texture.  The flavor is the norm for what would be expected from a Chinese restaurant.

Peppered Beef

Ian ordered the Peppered Beef for his main course.  He said it was pretty good. It comes with some good vegetables. You can see in this picture how the edges of the plate have sauce from the dish on it.  I've never noticed this before at the Keystone at the Crossing location.

Brown Rice

Brown rice came to our table in a bowl for us both to share.  The rice is a sticky rice, which is a good thing with Chinese food.  I'm not a huge rice eater, so, I can't comment on the taste, aside from the fact that it tasted like rice!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I ordered the Sweet and Sour Chicken. You can see how my plates edges had sauce from the main dish smeared on the edges.  I don't know if that's the perfectionist in me, but I don't ever remember seeing this on the dishes at the Keystone at the Crossing location.  It kind of made me feel like my plates weren't completely clean. 

Sweet Sour Chicken with Rice

They always bring out an extra plate for each person to put his or her food on.  I always just add a little rice to my main dish.  This dish had the consistent flavor that I expect from P.F. Chang's. It was a normal Sweet and Sour.  I like the veggies, pineapple, ginger, peppers, and onions that are served with it.  They give a good crunchy texture to the dish.

Tiramisu

Because every Chinese restaurant should have Tiramisu on their dessert menu! This dessert was really good!  I recommend this to anyone who likes Tiramisu.  A good sweet flavor and the cake was well done.

My Fortunes from my Fortune Cookies

With the new meal for two option, which is: 1 appetizer to share, 1 soup or salad per person, one main course per person including rice, one regular sized dessert to share (When we got the two person meal at the Keystone at the Crossing location in February, it was two mini desserts, one per person. I would actually prefer this, because I hate sharing desserts with people. I mean, with Ian it's fine, but think if someone was on a first date and had to share their dessert.  That would gross me out!), all for $39.99.  This isn't a bad price for all that's included in it.   This pricing option will probably draw us back in more often. 
We went to P.F. Chang's at around 10pm.  Maybe that's why the kitchen seemed a bit in disarray.  The floors were dirty. Our server, Jessica, seemed over it.  She had what I call the "Fake Server" attitude.  Running up every time we took a bite, or before we even had a chance to, asking, "Is the food ok? OK, Great!" and leaving before we could barely nod our heads. The music even seemed at a pretty extreme volume for me.  I don't know if we were seated right under a speaker, or if something else was going on.  The music just seemed distracting. If this was my first experience with the restaurant chain, I might not have come back.  Good think it wasn't!
I normally really enjoy P.F. Chang's.  Every time we go to the Keystone at the Crossing location, it's a really good experience.  I give P.F. Chang's 3 pizza pies out of 4.  If I had just stuck with the Castleton location, I would have given it a higher score.  The Circle Center location didn't impress me as much!