The Rundown:
The City: San Antonio
The Place: P.F. Chang's
The Day: Friday
The Time: 8:00 - 9:30
The Review:
Following
the rather disastrous first journey to P.F. Chang's last week, I was
generously extended an invitation to return, this time armed with a gift
card. I assure you that the following review is based entirely on the
merits of the restaurant, and not on the fact that a portion of the meal
was already paid for.
I'll begin by saying that, rather than
attend the P.F. Chang's at La Cantera, I this time traveled to the
location in the Quarry. This makes me unable to comment on whether the
previous location has improved, but does allow me to assess P.F. Chang's
other restaurant. To be quite honest, it was a massive improvement.I
was greeted quickly by the hostesses upon my arrival, who identified my
reservation and handed me one of those small buzzers they use to alert
you when your seating is ready. Nervous that this might be quite a wait,
I sat around chatting with my date for the evening, one I was hoping to
leave a good impression with. Fortunately, our reservations were met
quickly, within minutes of my arrival. No long waits, and we were taken
to a lovely booth in the corner, away from too much of the crowd.
Exactly the sort of treatment those who reserve in advance should
receive.
Our server was excellent, not only friendly but
attentive. His tableside manner was top notch, and he served out our
sauces, mixed and ready for use on our food orders. A step skipped at
the last P.F. Chang's I attended, this small gesture added to the
overall ambiance and upscale feel of the place. The combination of
tableside manner, overall attentiveness and friendliness went a long
way.
I had the crispy honey chicken this time around, along with
an agave margarita and a jack and coke. The drinks themselves, not too
strong, were at least tasty. For the price, just within the realm of
reason. Meanwhile, the chicken, at 13.99, was prepared quite nicely. In
contrast to the dry chicken I encountered at the last P.F. Chang's, the
chicken at this location was, mostly, moist and fresh. Some of it, which
I assumed sat toward the bottom of the pan, was definitely cooked just a
tad too long. A little more stirring and a little less sitting would
have most likely helped. Still, the taste and tenderness was, overall,
quite right. The rice arrived alongside our meal, as it should, and in a
manageable bowl as opposed to the large monstrosity I received at the
last location. Thankfully, it was not overly dry, an improvement over
the last location as well.
A few quibbles. Toward the back end
of service it became apparent our server was a tad overwhelmed, and his
attentiveness wavered. A shame, given his strong showing for the
majority of dinner service. Still, I give him high marks for a fantastic
dinner experience overall. Second, the decor. While the overall
presentation was nice, warmly lit and nicely colored, there were parts
of the wall coming apart. To really strive to be the best, that is
unacceptable. Especially considering the large, stone horse that sits
outside, the large tv that is anchored over the full bar and the lovely
tables and settings, such details do stand out. Yet these are minor
comments, and overall presentation and service were quite nice. Best of
all, the food was, mostly, quite good.
I use the term 'mostly' a
good deal in this review, and P.F. Chang's at the Quarry gets things
mostly right. With just a few minor tweaks, they could have the perfect
dinner service. As of now, it's still a fantastic restaurant, and one
I'd recommend taking any date to before a jaunt off to the theater
nearby, or to one of the many bars that lie just down the street on
Basse and Broadway.
The Final Call:
Facilities: 4/5
Staff: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Drinks: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
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