P.F. Chang’s

Written by mojdeh on January 23, 2016 in I Eat America, I Eat...Out with 0 Comments

(pfchangs.com/washington/9818-spokane) – Downtown Spokane, Washington

How I heard of this place: My husband’s work brings him to Spokane a couple (or more) times each year, and this particular location is easily accessible to his office. I walk by it regularly, but it took the recommendation (and invitation) of his colleagues for us to enter its doors.

Type of cuisine: I deem P.F. Chang’s an American take on Americanized Chinese food, a couple of steps up from a grocery store Chinese deli. P.F. Chang’s, however, says, “Our story begins with the unlikely venture of co-founder Philip Chiang into the culinary world. With his mother’s authentic recipes as the inspiration, he teamed up with restaurateur Paul Fleming to create, to their own surprise, a Chinese food phenomenon.”

I, among them, “Many guests don’t realize that P.F. Chang’s has a scratch kitchen…We hire chefs, not kitchen managers. Even the simplest tasks, like julienning carrots, are done with passion. The pinches and folds in the dim sum must be perfect.“

Ambiance: “As we look at Asia, the opportunities to take our guests on a journey is in front of us. The intersection of history and food & culture across Asia is going to continue to be part of the menu at P. F. Chang’s.”

Grand.

Opulent.

Dark.

What I ordered: To start, we had an order of Chang’s Lettuce Wraps ($9.50): their most popular appetizer, served with crisp lettuce cups and signature sauce, wok-seared chicken, mushrooms, green onion and water chestnuts over crispy rice sticks,

and Chang’s Spare Ribs ($10.95): six slow-braised pork ribs, wok-seared with a tangy Asian barbecue sauce.

My husband and I shared two entrées, the Korean BBQ Chicken Stir-Fry ($14.50): stir fried with red peppers, onion and green beans in a sweet chili sauce, topped with a cool kimchi slaw,

and the Mongolian Beef ($16.95): sweet-soy-glazed sliced flank steak wok-seared with scallions and garlic.

The other two in our party selected the Cantonese-Style Lemon Chicken ($17.50) off of the Gluten-Free Menu: lightly crisped chicken breast filets drizzled with warm lemon sauce, topped with chilled broccolini, and the Sesame Chicken ($10.50), wok-seared in sesame sauce with broccoli, red bell peppers and onion.

What I loved: The BBQ Ribs, followed closely by the Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

Why I loved it: An easy walk from office to lunch in the rain, close proximity to shopping and downtown amenities. The staff and servers were also friendly and helpful, going out of their way to ensure sensitivity in relation to the allergies present in our party.