Went to PF Changs which I had been to previously but I never really took the time to enjoy the meal fully.
I chose this time to sit at the bar which surprisingly has comfortable chairs.
As I am of the persuasion to get the darkest beer I can find I asked the bartender what dark beer he had. He brought me a “Left hand” Brand Nitro infused Milk Stout. Even though it was in a can he was one of the first I ever have had as a bartender that actually knew how to pour a stout so as not to make an enormous head that you must deal with when you drink it. I give him enormous kudo’s for that.
He came back and I ordered the mandarin beef with white rice & hot and sour soup and Hot Saki.
First he brought me the soup with the requisite noodles that come with soup.
Unlike the normal hot & sour soup at Chinese restaurants the soup was creamy rather than the usual watery soup. The noodles were enough for it without adding huge pieces that you have to fuss with trying to get them on the spoon along with the soup. Its rich and has multiple tones of the mushrooms and the meat that I assume is chicken along with the tofu pieces. the milk stout actually complimented it.
Next he brought out the Mandarin Beef with White rice and the Hot Saki.
The Beef as always is lightly crispy on the outside but tender and actually juicy on the inside. Considering its done in a very hot wok thats surprises me every time I get it. The sauce is slightly spicy but not overly so and compliments the meat. The white rice? Well its white rice and thus really can’t be made either good or bad unless you undercook it.
Overall the bartending was fantastic and the food was fabulous as well.
We don’t have many Asian places here that are not chain owned but I will endeavor to get to as many as I can for comparison.