The highly popular P.F. Chang’s China Bistro has finally opened its first location in Alabang Town Center last month (January 19), marking the chain’s first venture into Asia.
The restaurant has over 200 branches in the US and 12 worldwide, and delivers a unique blend of Chinese cuisine, wines, desserts and impeccable service. When news broke that P.F. Chang’s will be opening soon in the Philippines, one celebrity that expressed excitement was Kapamilya star and MYX VJ Nikki Gil and even shared the news thru her Twitter account.
P.F. Chang’s serves cuisine inspired by the different regions of China, reflecting a range of new influences from across Asia. The restaurant also has a culinary thrust of simplicity and uses only natural fresh ingredients with no garnishes and artificial flavors.
Orange Magazine TV was one of the lucky online media to experience their service. We were treated with their signature dishes like Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps; Mongolian Beef made from US Angus beef caramelized in the wok with garlic and scallions; and the flavorful Northern-Style Spare Ribs.
The restaurant’s ambiance gives you the impression that you’ll be eating in a fine dining restaurant. But to my surprise, although P.F. Chang’s is an international restaurant, their menu prices are reasonable enough to enjoy your meal. Their Starters (appetizers) range from Php125 (Vegetable Spring Rolls) to Php385 (Salt & Pepper Calamari). They also serve Soups (Hot & Sour, Egg Drop, Wonton, and Chang’s Chicken Noodle); Salad (Chicken Chopped Salad, Php385); Noodles & Rice (P.F. Chang’s Fried Rice, Lo Mein, Double Pan-Fried Noodles, Singapore Street Noodles, Garlic Noodles, Dan Dan Noodles); Vegetarian (Spicy Green Beans, Shanghai Cucumbers, Budha Feast, Wok-Seared Mushrooms, Stir-Fried Eggplants, Spinach Stir-Fried with Garlic); Gluten Free Menu (where your dish will be cooked in a separate work station with exclusive woks to prevent contamination); Kid’s Menu (for kids 12 and under. Served with a Kid’s drink such as Soda, Iced Tea, Milk or Chocolate Milk), Desserts (GF Black Sesame Pavlova and GF Dark Truffle Dome Cake); and their Emperor’s Choice which is pricey but worth it (e.g. Asian Marinated New York Strip (Php1,565), Steamed Salmon with Ginger (Php895), Wok-Seared Lamb (Php950), among others).
As a dynamic modern bistro, P.F. Chang’s also offers signature drinks like Asian Pear Mojito, Lucky Cat Martini, and Organic Agave Margarita. Diners have also given in to other tempting desserts like Banana Spring Rolls, made of crispy bites of banana with coconut-pineapple ice cream and drizzled with caramel and vanilla sauces; and the Great Wall of Chocolate, a luscious six-layer chocolate cake frosted with semi-sweet chocolate chips, and served with a raspberry sauce.
All entrees are served with a choice of white rice or brown rice. And the best part is, all their dishes are meant for sharing! Also, all menu items are also available for take-out or delivery. Lucky me, that I live in Alabang so I will definitely enjoy this more.
Servers, deemed “meal creators” by the restaurant, are also trained to help diners gain a memorable dining experience by offering personalized care. I love that they are actually friendly to customers and give recommendations for everything from dipping sauces, to wine and drinks without you even asking. Now that’s what you call a good customer service!
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro has recently won the Best Overall Beverage Program from the 2012 Cheers Beverage Excellence Awards, and topped the Zagat Survey for Most Popular Full Survey Chain. “Recognition by esteemed surveys is always welcome and speaks well for what we do, but we do not sleep on our laurels and constantly try to improve our products,” Philip Chiang, restaurant founder said.
Mr. Philip Chiang has flown in for this company milestone, the opening of its 217th restaurant and first location in the country. “This is our first foray into a totally Asian environment and I might add, with a large Chinese community. Since I haven’t experienced the Philippines yet I don’t know what might distinguish us, but I feel that so far, we’ve always raised the bar in terms of the Chinese dining experience in countries we’ve opened,” he said.
Mr. Philip Chiang was running two other Chinese restaurants in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood when fellow restaurateur Philip Fleming approached him with an idea. Together they opened the first P.F. Chang’s in 1993 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The business has since grown tremendously with dine-in, take out and party reservation services. John Travolta, Gwen Stefani, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have been among the many celebrities spotted at the restaurant’s different locations.
P.F. Chang’s partner in the Philippines is Global Restaurant Concepts, Inc. headed by president and CEO Archie Rodriguez. “When looking for restaurants to bring home, we like to consider a few simple factors: Is our personal experience at the restaurant consistently memorable? Is the food good and fresh, using the best ingredients? Is the service and culture above par? Is the concept sound? Will the menu and atmosphere appeal to families? We believe PF Chang’s scored high marks in all of these categories. And, we are excited to share our experience with the rest of the Philippines,” he said.
Global Restaurant Concepts is also the company behind California Pizza Kitchen and Orchard Road in the Philippines.
Anyway, here are some of the dishes served to us during its soft opening last January 17.
CHANG’S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS (285) – P.F. Chang’s signature appetizer. Wok-seared minced chicken, mushrooms, green onions, and water chestnuts served over crispy rice sticks and served with cool, crisp lettuce cups.
This one is also available in Vegetarian Lettuce Wrap (Php285) which is the vegetarian version of their signature appetizer made with tofu.
DYNAMITE SHRIMP (Php295) – Crispy shrimp tossed in a zesty sauce and served over a bed of cool sliced cabbage, lettuce and crispy rice sticks. I would have loved this one except that I’m not into spicy foods.
CHANG’S SPICY CHICKEN (Php320) – Tender, diced chicken breast lightly dusted and stir-fried with a tangy sauce of sweet and spice. When they say spicy, it means spicy. So better ask the server first before ordering.
SHRIMP WITH CANDIED WALNUTS (Php460) – Tender shrimp tossed in a creamy sauce with candied walnuts and honeydew melon. This is one of my favorite dish. Although it’s a little pricey, it’s actually good for two person.
CHENGDU SPICED LAMB (Php900) – If you love lamb, you will surely love this one. Richly spiced, marinated lamb, tossed with cumin, mint, tomatoes and yellow onions.
MONGOLIAN BEEF (Php695)- Tender flank steak wok-cooked then quickly tossed with scallions and garlic.
SICHUANSTYLE ASPARAGUS (Php280) – I love asparagus and this is one dish you shouldn’t miss. Wok-fired with Sichuan preserves with onion, chili paste and garlic.
LO MEIN (Php225) – Stir-fried egg noodles with mushrooms, bean sprouts, bok choy, carrots, celery and onions. With this one, you can ask for an add-on protein options (Chicken or Pork – Php35, Beef – Php85, Shrimp – Php95)
And of course, I wont miss this chance to have my photos taken with Mr. Philip Chiang and Mr. Archie Rodriguez. Special thanks to Ms. Jingjing Romero of Stratos PR for the invitation.
P.F. Chang’s is located at The Street in Alabang Town Center. The restaurant was officially opened to the public last January 19, 2012. For reservations, please call P.F. Chang’s Alabang Town Center at 0927-5333445. Visit http://pfchangs.com.ph for more info.
About Jeman Villanueva
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