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P. F. Chang's is a chain restaurant started in Tucson, Arizona, but don't let that deter you from dining there. What has made P.F. Chang's so popular is its intensely flavored dishes that represent five major culinary regions of China: Canton, Hunan, Mongolia, Shanghai and Szechwan. The flavors are original -- as the restaurant imports its herbs and spices directly from China. The various sauces are made at your table adding a touch of fun to the dining experience, as well as a chance to choose the spiciness.
Located close to South Park Mall in Phillips Place, part of the reason for the success of P. F. Chang's might be its mod, upscale nature. It's trendy, but not cloyingly so. There's a buzz about the place that makes it fun. The spacious dining room and bar are elegant but casual, and there is outside seating. The staff is up-beat, friendly, and willing to go out of their way to be helpful. The soft golden-red lighting is extremely flattering, making everyone look rosy and healthy.
The menu is extensive, with a wide variety of reasonably priced vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. One of my favorite appetizers is Chang's Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps. This tactile dish is essentially a lettuce taco that requires the lucky persons who order it to essentially roll their own by dropping a dollop of wok-seared tofu, red onions, water chestnuts with mint and lime in a leaf of cool and crisp iceberg lettuce. Tasty and lots of fun to eat, but probably not a good thing to order if you're trying to impress someone! It can be messy.
Entrees include Ma Po Tofu, crispy silken tofu in a spicy vegetarian sauce with broccoli. Frankly, I think a little less broccoli would provide a more balanced dish, although the sauce is excellent. If you're in the mood for noodles, there is Vegetable Chow Fun, soft wide rice noodles and slivered vegetables in spicy vegetarian sauce. For a light meal, there are several stir-fried vegetable choices, Sichuan Long Beans or Asparagus, Spinach Stir-fried with Garlic, Stir-fried Spicy Eggplant, among others. Meals come with either white or brown rice.
The best eye-catching dessert is without question the Great Wall of Chocolate, a brick of moist cake rising up six layers and doused with raspberry sauce. But the creative winner is the Banana Spring Rolls, which are sort of an Asian version of Bananas Foster. A banana-filled spring roll is served with coconut-pineapple ice cream and drizzled with caramel and vanilla sauces. It's a fabulous way to end a meal.
P.F. Chang's also has an extensive list of over 40 wines, all available by the bottle and the glass. A full bar complements the wine list with specialty drinks as well as micro-brews, imported, domestic and a large selection of Asian beers.
P.F. Chang's Information:
| Address: | 6809-F Phillips Place Court Charlotte NC 28210 |
| Phone: | (704) 552-6644 |
| Price Range: | ($10 and under, for vegetarian dishes) |
| Hours: | Sun-Thu: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Fri-Sat: 11 a.m. - midnight |
| Rating: |  |
About Jerri
Jerri Kidder is a life coach who maintains a private practice in Charlotte, NC. She has been a practicing vegetarian for 16 years with an interest in alternative medicine and nutrition. She can be contacted at (704) 921-3221 or jerri53@aol.com.
VEGETARIAN DINNER GROUP FORMING!
Stan Steinberger is interested in starting a group to explore local restaurants from a vegetarian viewpoint.