DINING REVIEW
P. F. Chang’s Bistro: Good deals, lots of ambience
Published: November 20, 2009, 12:30 am
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Chinese food goes sexy. And successful. P. F. Chang’s China Bistro has been packing them in for about a month now in the Walden Galleria’s ultra-eating section (as opposed to the food court — it’s definitely not the food court). The Scottsdale, Ariz.,-based chain features what is basically a menu of standard favorites, but they are presented with panache.
We’re talking larger-than-life models of Tang horses and Chinese warriors gracing the sophisticated surroundings. A big bar in the center with stunningly upholstered booths surrounding it. A good wine list. And plenty of buzz. Sure, it’s all marketing, but hurrah for them, say I. This is marketing as fun.
And fairly reasonable, too. There are at least two good dining deals here. The Lunch Bowls, served until 4 p. m., run respectably well under $10. They give you an interesting choice of items like Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, Moo Goo Gai Pan or Asian Grilled Salmon, along with rice and soup.
Or there’s the Dinner for Two, a four-course meal offering plenty of choice for $39.95. We opted for this and came away more than well fed.
First: Soup. One of us went for a dusky Hot and Sour with layers of spiciness interspersed. The other chose the Egg Drop, which is usually a bore, but this time was piquantly flavored with garlic. Both soups were served piping hot.
We chose the Chicken Lettuce Wraps as our starter. This dish is somewhat of a Chang’s specialty and well it should be. A heap of nicely flavored stir-fry chicken is accompanied by four piping fresh, museum quality lettuce leaves. You wrap the leaves around the chicken mixture and apply one (or all) of three sauces — the red chili being the hottest of the bunch.
Of course, no matter how much filling you pack in each leaf, you run out of the lettuce before you run out of the chicken — that’s a fact of life and pretty inevitable. But not to worry. Just pile that remaining chicken mixture atop the cute little bowl of white or brown rice that will accompany your entrees and you’re home more than free.
Speaking of entrees, we really liked Chang’s Spicy Chicken. Nicely sized chunks of white meat, lightly floured and stir-fried in a rather sweet sauce. Not really all that peppery, although there is a little kick involved. Our other entree choice, Cantonese Shrimp, looked wonderful. Pink plum crustaceans, bright green snow peas.
But no matter how earnestly it tried to be loved, the dish was bland. Not all of the sprinklings of soy sauce in the world could bring it to life.
And now came the dessert! Some people never grow up and I am one of them, so it was love at first sight when they presented a rack full of cute filled shot glasses for us to choose from. The selection is about as Asian as I am, involving tiramisu and apple goodies, but who cares?
We went for the Great Wall Chocolate Cake and for the Red Velvet Cake. Not more than three bites apiece, but a fine way to end our meal.
Should you not select the Meal for Two, the menu offers an almost bewildering spread of options. Dynamite Shrimp perhaps? (Appetizersized for $8.95 and consisting of a martini glass filled with smoky you know what.)
Chicken Chopped Salad — well, at least there’s an Asianstyle ginger dressing. Spinach Stir Fried with Garlic, Lemongrass Prawns with Garlic Noodles, Orange Peel Shrimp et cetera, et cetera. By the way, there are plenty of tempting vegetarian options here and a full page worth of gluten-free suggestions. Have fun.•
P. F. CHANG’S
Three stars
WHERE: One Galleria Drive, Cheektowaga (706-0791, www.pfchangs.com). This brand new outpost of a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based chain offers Chinese cuisine in glamorous surroundings. Credit Cards: American Express, MasterCard, Visa.
FAVORITE DISH: Chicken Lettuce Wraps
NEEDS WORK: Cantonese Shrimp
PRICE RANGE: Four-course Dinner for Two, $39.95. Dinner entrees from about $10. Lunch Bowls (served until 4 p. m.) with rice and soup from $7.95.
SERVICE: Fast
HOURS: 11 a. m. to 11 p. m. Sunday through Thursday; Friday and Saturday 11 a. m. to midnight
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
PARKING: In the Galleria Mall lot or garage. Valet parking available.
RATINGS:Stars reflect the overall dining experience at the time of The News’ visit — including service, ambience, innovation and cost — with greatest weight given to quality of the food.
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