A co-worker recommended P F Chang's so this past Saturday a friend and I decided to give it a try. P F Chang's has three locations in the Chicago metropolitan area, as well as a growing number of restaurants nation-wide. The concept seems to be a melding of traditional Chinese food and American rock and roll culture. The menu is fairly extensive, offering some traditional Chinese fare such as shrimp dumplings and spring rolls, along with more innovative dishes. We decided on spring rolls for an appetizer. Having ordered these, our server asked us what degree of spiciness we liked in our food. We said moderate, not being sure what "moderate" meant to him (in some places moderate has seared flesh!). He proceeded to mix hot pepper sauce, hot mustand and (we think) soy sauce together for us to use to flavor our selections. The spring rolls were reasonably crisp, filled with mainly shredded lettuce and carrots. Decent, but not impressive, although the prepared sauce added a nice touch. For an entree, Tom ordered Spicy Ground Chicken and Eggplant. Eggplant and spices are sauteed with ground chicken and scallions; you have a choice of white or brown rice. I tried a bite and it was good, though not terribly piquant. My selection was Double Pan Fried Noodles, which are egg noodles stir-fried with vegetables and your choice of pork, beef, chicken or shrimp. This was enjoyable, although rather salty for my taste. The service was quick and attentive, although they kept trying to clear our table when we were interested in lingering and chatting. Without even being asked, our soft drinks were replenished constantly.
The decor is modern; the color scheme mainly black, terracotta and slate. With dark woods, low lighting and hand-painted murals, it's a very attractive place. I particularly enjoyed the replicas of some of the Terracotta Warriors of Xi'An.
P F Changs is located at 530 N. Wabash, you can take the Red line and get off at Grand; the restaurant is near Grand and Wabash. Or, you can take either the Green or Brown line to State and Lake and walk over the river and turn east on Grand.