P.F. Chang's is about as Americanized as Chinese food gets... but that doesn't mean it's not
delicious.
"This is P.F. Chang's… with authentic dishes, family meals and shareable favorites."
Of course, there are a few menu items you should never order… at least, not if you're
putting health first. Here are some of P.F. Chang's biggest offenders.
Out of all the chocolate-filled desserts out there, we probably love chocolate cake the
most. And when it comes to chocolate cake, we really want the real deal… something
that tastes as good as it looks... a cake that always leaves us wanting more. How can
you possibly go wrong with layers of rich chocolate and smooth frosting?
"She made this cake just for you to have on your very own."
When you see the Great Wall of Chocolate on the menu, you may think you've finally found
the perfect chocolate cake. With six layers of chocolate cake encased in chocolate frosting
and blessed with semi-sweet chocolate chips, it certainly looks a treat… but looks can
be deceiving at the end of the day.
It should go without saying that this cake is far from healthy. In fact, a single slice
happens to be a whopping 1,700 calories. We love to indulge, but c'mon: that's completely
bananas, isn't it? And when you add in the fact that this cake is way too rich, you have
yourself a double-decker deal breaker. Hey, we're all for an over-the-top dessert every
once in a while... but this particular chocolate cake just leaves a bad taste in our mouth.
You can go ahead and skip it… your bathroom scale will thank you.
This one may surprise you. After all, who doesn't like a little bit of fried rice every
now and again? Sure, it might not be the most authentic thing on the menu at P.F. Chang's,
but it's definitely very delicious indeed.
Well, hold that thought for just a second. After all, the chain is known for its extensive
menu, right? In fact, there are so many different dishes available, it just doesn't make sense
to order something you can find at pretty much any Chinese restaurant on planet Earth.
The Fried Rice at P.F. Chang's is really nothing special, so why waste your precious time and
money? Go ahead: live a little and order something a little less predictable. Here's an idea:
"Dynamite shrimp has become one of the most popular items at P.F. Chang's."
Now, here's one more thing to keep in mind about fried rice: If you order it, you really
won't be getting too much bang for your buck. Fried rice is mostly starch when you get right
down to it… and you won't be served too many vegetables or protein when you order
this particular dish. It's really just not a very balanced meal at the end of the day,
and it's basically just a great big snoozefest to stuff right into your pie-hole.
Besides, you can make fried rice in the comfort of your own home whenever you want, and it's
really not that tough if you know what you're doing.
Stop us if you've heard this one before. One of your favorite chain restaurants just came
out with a salad that looks absolutely delicious… and you're tempted to order it and try it
for yourself. Oh, and when you do? It does taste good … almost suspiciously good for
a salad. Then, you check the nutritional information and you realize that you would've been better
off ordering a burger instead… at least as far as your health is concerned.
That's basically the story of P.F. Chang's Mandarin Crunch Salad. With so many greens
and citrus, it seems like a given that it would be good for you. Well, this salad packs
in 730 calories. And when you add chicken or shrimp, the calorie count goes up even
more.
We love a good salad, but a salad that's just as unhealthy as a burger and fries? That's
just not our thing.
Enjoying a light soup… what a perfect way to start your meal. The warm broth gets your
palate prepared for the many rich, delicious flavors to come. Since most people just want
to start off with soup, there's a good chance you want something on the lighter side. Well,
if that's the case, you'll definitely want to pass up on the Hot and Sour Soup.
This spicy, tangy delight might taste good, but it's not exactly a light option. According
to Delish, this supposed starter packs a whopping 470 calories. The sodium is the real kicker,
though. In just one bowl of soup, you'll be slurping back an astronomical 3,800 milligrams
of sodium.
Sure, if you just want to order soup and maybe a side dish or two, this might not be the
worst choice you can make. We say enjoy every single drop if that's the case. But if you're
planning to simply kick off your meal with this stuff, it's probably not the wisest thing
to order.
Ordering a rack of ribs is pretty exciting, because you're basically guaranteed to have
an incredible meal, right?
"I'd say with the white and with the red and the ribs, it sounds pretty tasty. So there
you have it… a little party going on at P.F. Chang's."
But here's a question: would you ever start off with ribs as an appetizer? Kind of seems
like a lot, doesn't it? Well, if you go to P.F. Chang's, you can indeed order ribs as
an appetizer… just don't expect it to be the healthy choice!
According to the official website, an order of six Northern Style Spare Ribs packs 700
calories and 1,070 milligrams of sodium. So... not exactly a petite little snack, but these
are ribs we're talking about. Now, if we're judging purely on taste, it must be said:
these ribs knock it out of the park. Maybe it's because these delicious pork ribs are
slow-braised. Maybe it's the dry rub made with Chang's seasoning. All we know is these
are incredibly delicious and well worth all the regret we'll pretend to feel right after
greedily devouring each and every one.
If you've even been to P.F. Chang's, you probably know that the Lettuce Wraps are one highly
delicious dish and people just can't seem to get enough of them.
"P.F. Chang's famous chicken lettuce wraps have become the most popular item around the
globe."
But that doesn't mean you should actually order them. Wondering why? Well, a Redditor
took to the site to explain exactly why you should leave the lettuce wraps well enough
alone, writing that,
"The P.F. Chang's Chicken lettuce wrap meat is all the trimmings from the meat cutting
guy all ground up. Mostly fat."
Doesn't sound too appetizing, does it? And beyond that, you're not getting a meal that's
particularly good for you… despite the fact that it happens to be wrapped in fresh lettuce.
As another Redditor puts it,
"I previously worked at a large chain Chinese restaurant that rhymes with bangs. Those of
you that eat the chicken lettuce wraps and think they are healthy, you're wrong. They
are 100 percent white meat, what they don't tell you is that it is all the fat, skin and
connective tissue from the breast ground and seared before being made into the lettuce
wrap mix."
Well… that's unfortunate, especially since this is one of the better items on the menu.
Still, you'll never catch us ordering these… mainly because we're extremely sneaky and
aren't above wearing disguises.
Your mother always told you to eat your vegetables, and if you knew what was good for you, you
listened.
But your mom probably wasn't thinking about deep-fried vegetables when she imparted that
particular pearl of wisdom. And when you order the Crispy Green Beans at P.F. Chang's, that's
exactly what you'll get: Tender green beans get the tempura treatment in this dish, and
you can even dip these battered beans into a signature spicy sauce that's truly quite
scrumptious. But as you might expect, the fried breading pretty much negates the health
factor of these veggies.
In fact, Delish makes a rather sobering point: You might think you're making a healthy choice
with this appetizer, but that's just not true. This appetizer happens to be packing an absurd
990 calories. In comparison, a large order of McDonald's fries actually contains fewer
calories than that, coming in at a mere 510 calories. When you stop to think about it,
you probably don't want to come within a five-mile radius of this dish... unless you plan on
walking approximately ten miles right after your meal.
Oh, and if it makes you feel any better, the crunch can sometimes be lacking in this dish.
And limp, fried green beans are certainly not worth so many calories.
There's bound to be several standard salad options at any restaurant you visit. One of
the most popular offerings is, of course, the ubiquitous Caesar salad. At P.F. Chang's,
you'll come across something like this salad, too.
But the so-called Asian Caesar Salad comes with a twist. You see, it's a normal salad
until you get to the toppings, which include wonton croutons and sesame seeds. And that's
... that's it. That's evidently what makes it Asian" You can't exactly call that authentic.
And even if you add the cooked salmon, chicken, or shrimp, you're still wind up with a pretty
disappointing entree when all is said and done.
Reviewers on Ranker seem to agree. Out of 67 items listed on the site, this one comes
in 63rd. It's easy to see — and taste — why that is. Even though it's one of the healthier
choices, it still comes in at under 500 calories, which is quite unlike the vast majority of
items on the menu. Still, the end result is just a little sad, especially when compared
to their other offerings. P.F. Chang's, you really don't need to try this hard. You can
just give us a normal Caesar salad any day of the week.
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