PF Chang's Nails It

Yeah, I know, it's Chinese, it's a chain, fine. Whatever. Call me a hayseed. But P.F. Chang's is pullin' off some great Chinese food and doin' it in a fun setting not far off the Miracle Mile in Chicago. We've become so accustomed to Chinese food in America, it's become uninteresting to us- it's like Starbucks. I'm the first person to say that most Chinese food I've had isn't significantly different between any place I've had it. And while there are some places that arguably serve some of the worst Chinese I've ever had (like the lone Chinese restaurant in my hometown) there are those doing something really special.

P.F. Chang's claim to fame seems to be keepin' it simple. They do the basic Chinese dish flawlessly. The spring rolls are impeccably crisp, the mu shu delightfully tangy-salty (but not too much of either), and the chicken lettuce wraps are perfectly cooked - tiny pieces of chicken that are just done, not over-cooked. The Chang's Spicy Chicken ... so delightful; the most delicate coating of crisp tempura over perfectly cooked chicken (no powder-dry white meat here) and a thin, sweet Sichuan that is as spritefully herbal in its to the nose as it is spicy to the tongue. Each piece is like a delicately scented flower on a hot June day.

So sure, chain, yes. Fine. But what a delightful chain, and for those who travel, a sure bet for something good in many destinations.