P.F. Chang's in The Prudential Center Mall

There is only one Chinese restaurant with gluten-free options in the Boston area, and that is P. F. Chang’s.  Well, it’s actually two because there are two P. F. Chang’s in Boston, but who’s counting.  So, Liz was craving some Chinese, and we headed off to the Prudential Building, where one of the two restaurants is.  It was Saturday night, and we did not think to make a reservation, but we were a bit surprised when we got to the entrance and found an hour-and-a-half wait for a table.  However, Liz and I had experienced the ambiance at Chang’s previously, and I can honestly say that we weren’t missing much.  Though that wait staff are nice enough, and though the décor is fine, I think it is too much hustle and bustle.  The capacity of the restaurant was 295, and when I entered, I could hear all of them, making it very loud and club-like.  So, we cut our wait to twenty minutes by ordering some takeout.

When we returned to pick up our food 20 minutes later, it was ready for us, which I appreciated.  I also overheard that the wait was 45 minutes.  So, evidently, there was a time warp in the restaurant of about a half an hour.  Either way, we got our food and went to a non-crowded food court area about 50 feet down the hall.  Perfect.  It was quiet, quicker, and we didn’t have to leave a tip.

We cracked into our takeout containers and dug in.  I had Crab Wontons with plum dipping sauce and Double Pan-fried Noodles with shrimp, while Liz had their version of General Gau’s (or Cho’s or Chu’s or Chow’s or whichever general you would like) Chicken, called Chang’s Spicy Chicken.  The dishes came with two sides of white or brown rice (we chose white) and fortune cookies.

The Crab Wontons were pretty darn tasty.  They were similar to your standard crab rangoons, aside from the fact that these actually have a noticeable amount of crab in them, giving them a more savory taste.  The sweet and salty played well on each other in this dish, and I devoured it.  The Double Pan-Fried Noodles were also pretty tasty.  The noodles took on a bit of a toothsome quality from the frying, and it made the dish quite enjoyable, though a bit too salty for my taste.  It almost seemed laden with MSG, which surprised me for a higher-scale Chinese place.  Liz enjoyed the Chang’s Spicy Chicken, which she chose from the limited but ample gluten-free menu, though she thought it was spicier than her previous experience with this dish and not quite as sweet.  I tried some of this, and though it was good, it was not very similar to any General X Chicken that I’ve ever had.  It was not breaded with anything or deep-fried, but was more like a stir-fried dish.  It was okay, but I would have enjoyed it more were it not claiming to be a General’s Chicken.

All told, the meal was decent.  I liked the crab wontons, and the entrees were passable.  However, for two entrees and an appetizer, you would expect to spend maybe 15 bucks at a standard Chinese restaurant.  The bill was just over 30 bucks.  For twice the price, I expect twice the experience, and I did not get that.   Though they get kudos for the GF menu, I would rather order your standard Chinese takeout.  An hour-and-a-half wait?  Come on.