P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Peabody MA (Review)

Apr 212009

interior-view-of-P.F. Chang's-China-Bistro-bar-with-a-funky-lamp-and-menus

P.F. Chang’s Chinese Bistro deserves somes kudos – starting with the decor. There’s plenty of the red and black color scheme so often associated with Chinese restaurants in the U.S., but they’ve managed to update it to a slick, moody and hip atmosphere that gives you a sense that the food may not being the average old-school Americanized version of Chinese cuisine…..and it’s not!

large-and-colorful-wall-mural-at-P.F. Chang's-in-Peabody-massachusetts-depicting-ancient-Chinese-hunters

I understand that each location has it’s own unique handpainted mural, and the one in Peabody is gorgeous - a nice play against the modern interior elements.

P.F. Chang's-famous-chopped-chicken-appetizer-on-puffed-rice-noodles-with-iceburg-lettuce-leaves-for-wrapping

Cheers to Chang’s for creating an appetizer menu that is not laden with fried foods, and offering sides that include something other than rice! It’s an updated take on the theme, affordable and even has some things you’d imagine finding at the ubiquitous street food vendors in Shanghai. Certainly at the top of the list are their Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

iceburg-lettuce-leaf-with-P.F. Chang's-chopped-chicken-appetizer-on-top

There aren’t too many diners who can resist this treat – chopped and wokked chicken with minced mushrooms, minced water chestnuts and a delicious sauce, served with crisp iceburg lettuce leaves to wrap it up in and eat out of hand. The light-as-air flash fried rice noodles served below it are not at all greasy and add great texture and crunch to the appetizer. For only $8, this is enough for a lunch for one, or the perfect size for two to share – and they are gluten-free! In fact they have an impressive offering of gluten-free dishes, which can be difficult to find in a Chinese restaurant because of the wheat usually found in soy sauce. Another cheers for Chang’s!

a-bowl-of-hot-and-sour-soup-at-P.F. Chang's-Peabody-Massachusetts

P.F. Chang’s offers three small bowls of condiments for the table: soy sauce, chili paste and hot mustard. It’s a good idea, and certainly useful for seasoning the Hot and Sour soup, which oddly had a wonderful vinegar flavor but not a hint of heat to it. The chili paste solved the problem, and I liked adding my own.

Other notable items on the menu are the lunch bowls, made to order wonton soup, the sesame chicken, many fresh seafood dishes, some very interesting sides and the banana spring rolls for dessert. A note on the Cucumber side: the seasame oil sauce is fantastic, but too much peel left behind on the too-big chunks of cucumber kept it from being a favorite.

side-dish-of-Shanghai-cucumber-with-seasame-oil-sauce-and-black-sesame-seeds-at-P.F. Changs

Overall, P.F. Chang’s food is very good and sometimes inspired, the prices are reasonable, and the atmoshere is great. Worth a trip, and a return trip. This particular visit came courtesy of Dawn Gillberg, a local Realtor (works for the competition, but we still love her!) who so generously showed her appreciation for my collegues and I previewing one of her new listings. Thank you Dawn, what a great destination you chose!

a napkin at P.F. Chang's China Bistro with their logo on it, a dish of chili paste and a glass of T'sing Tao beer