P.F. CHANG’S ~ Its All About the People (Oh, Yes and the Food Too!)

Travel and eat is what I do best…and I have been to many P.F. Chang’s locations (Westbury, Ft. Myers, Naples, Seattle, Charlotte, etc.) throughout the US. Now how do you suppose someone spends virtually two consecutive weeks dining at one location? Well then, you must go to Maple Grove, MN (The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes) and find out for yourself. Here’s the deal – P.F. Chang’s, in general, provides a wonderful culinary service by crafting high quality Asian Cuisine accessible to many who might otherwise not have the opportunity – it is not Chinese buffet troughs loaded with poorly prepared facsimiles of otherwise great dishes; it is not limited street food; it is not Chinese-Americanized banquet fare. The menu is carefully composed to please a range of preferences, dietary restrictions (note the new gluten-free section), and spice tolerance; it is very authentic and the attention to the smallest of details is always evident (I will share my favorites later). 75,000 BTU Wok Stations ensure proper “wok hay”, i.e., “the breath of the wok”. And – guess what? The chefs really know how wield their very hardy carbon steel “pao” woks with jaw-dropping agility over searing volcanic hell fires! Woks are changed out about once every two to three weeks - that says plenty about the demand. (P.S. they know how to properly steam food too!).

One outstanding dimension of this particular location is the compelling warmth of the Staff. The deft combination of great people with great food provides a sure-fire delivery system for the most amazing adventure. Here’s a brief rundown of those I have met: Operating Partner Misty ~ very bubbly, on top of the scene, stays focused on the business, yet makes everyone feel welcome; Manager Rachel ~ statuesque, well composed, efficient; Manager Jen ~ guided laser smile, customer-centric and very charming; Manager Brandon ~ very kind and soft spoken ~ really impressed me that he achieved this position at such a young age; Rebekah ~ delightfully friendly and a great multi-tasker, bar skills A+; Emily ~ you can’t help but giggle with her, she has a most infectious chuckle, bar skills A+; Sahira ~ makes me special sauces, loves to have a laugh too, and is very perceptive about those seated in front of her, bar skills A+; Allen ~ fast, fun and a great bartender, always eager to please; and of course, Culinary Partner, Chef Andres ~ displays a vivid personal commitment to performance excellence. Everyone works at a blinding pace, no missteps (well...then there is Allen who sometimes introduces an acoustic component to his mixology); the work ethic is extraordinary and I often think how much these folks must (a) enjoy their work immensely, (b) enjoy working at P.F. Chang’s immensely, or (c) both (a) and (b). Everyone pitches in and no job is too small for anyone. The abundant pride and attention to service throughout all levels of the organization is extraordinary.

I think it was Rebekah who engineered my first meeting with Chef Andres. He must have been told of my obsessive interest in all things food although there was plenty of objective evidence on that topic to be sure. He was very engaging and eager to slightly stretch the corporate menu and prepare something special for me. This he did on several occasions: Dali Chicken with noodles, Fire Cracker Shrimp and Chicken on a bed of mei fun, with a nice dose of cilantro, and also Chengdu Spiced Lamb, which he kicked up notches above human comprehension. I remember chatting it up with a Gal (pregnant and Peruvian!) about the food, my close ties to the Chef and how great he was to make something a bit out of the P.F. Chang’s standard orbit, only to find out, as I am profusely babbling away, that she’s his Wife!

My favorites? Well I always get the Seared Ahi Tuna served cold with a great mustard dressing, a splayed fan of marinated cucumbers atop fresh mixed greens; this is my salad course and the portion is quite ample. Next up: Handmade Shrimp Dumplings, velvety if steamed and a nice crunch if fried (sauces courtesy of the kitchen or Sahira). Now the hard part, I have probably had just about everything on their menu over the last two years of visiting Maple Grove, but I really enjoy the following (no particular order): Singapore Street Noodles (a.k.a. Singapore Mei fun); Dan Dan Noodles (this is classic street food, although in China, fresh won ton skins are cut into finger width strips and boiled in water to make a noodle!); Dali Chicken (over noodles rather that with the potatoes); Chicken with Black Bean Sauce; Shrimp with Lobster Sauce; Chengdu Spiced Lamb. Oh, what a glorious mouth dance!

I know most have their favorite little spots tucked away here and there, but hey!, when you combine a real nice restaurant, with great food and wonderful people, how can you miss? My Clients think I’m daft for such loyalty , but now I have them thinking – so you are likely to see a steady stream of folks wandering over from the big Wind Turbine!

Cheers!